Third Time's a Charm
by ijustkeepswimming
Summary: Another CJ fanfic! Set when Charlie was still with Roman and before Angelo killed Jack... a face from Charlie's past comes back for a visit...
1. Chapter 1

_With _Broken _being such a heavy story, I thought I'd write something lighter alongside it. The first chapter is more of a prologue and very short but there will be more on its way..._

**Chapter One**

"What can I get you?" the barmaid said pleasantly.

Charlie looked up and was about to order a round of beers but her words caught in her throat.

"Charlie?" the barmaid said.

Charlie tensed and glanced back at her colleagues nervously and then back to the barmaid.

"Joey," she managed. "What are you doing here?"

"Serving drinks," Joey replied with a cheeky grin.

Charlie felt suddenly speechless and breathless. She leant against the bar, nervously clasping her hands together.

"I mean, I mean, here," Charlie explained. "What are you doing here?"

"I got bored," Joey said. "Picked a place on the map. I swear I'm not stalking you."

She grinned. Charlie blushed and grinned back. She glanced over at her colleagues who were still waiting for their round of drinks. She felt awkward. Seeing Joey in front of her was the last thing she expected and she didn't know how she felt about it.

"Um…" she started.

"Don't worry, Charlie. I'm not here to make trouble for you," Joey promised. "I'll stay out of your way if you like."

"Thank you," Charlie said. "It's just…"

Joey nodded and smiled but this time, it didn't quite meet her eyes. She almost looked sad. Charlie placed her order. Joey served the drinks and Charlie took them back to the table.

"You took your time!" Jack commented.

"I thought I was going to die of thirst!" Angelo laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The following day, Charlie headed into the Diner for lunch after a heavy morning at work. Looking around for a seat, she spotted Joey sitting in the corner, eating a salad and reading a book. Charlie chewed her lip, torn over whether to go and say hello or not. Everything told her that approaching was a bad idea but then, when it came to Joey Collins, she tended to make bad choices. As if she could tell she was being watched, Joey looked up, immediately locating Charlie. She smiled. Compelled to go over, Charlie approached the table and sat down.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

"_The Voyage Out_," Joey replied. "Woolf."

Charlie smiled.

"Still obsessed with the water then?"

"As ever."

Charlie didn't know a vast amount about Joey's life. They had only met twice before but one thing she did know was that Joey was at her happiest when she was sailing so she supposed reading books about it would make sense.

"How have you been?" Charlie asked.

"Pretty good," Joey said pleasantly. "And you?"

"Great, thanks," Charlie said.

"Nice uniform," Joey commented.

Charlie looked down at her police outfit and then looked back at Joey. She blushed.

"Are you um, legally allowed to cuff me now?" Joey asked, her question dripping with meaning.

Charlie swallowed, struggling internally with a flashback.

"I… I… I qualified," she managed. "I'm a Senior Constable now."

"Congratulations," Joey said, trying not to enjoy Charlie's embarrassment.

"Thank you," Charlie replied.

Leah approached with Charlie's lunch. Charlie accepted it, grateful for the distraction.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Charlie checked.

"Of course not," Joey replied, continuing to eat her own meal.

They ate in silence, casting glances at each other when they didn't think the other woman was looking.

"So, did you come by yourself?" Charlie asked.

Joey grinned at her.

"I mean here… come here… to Summer Bay?"

She blushed.

"Yes, I came by myself," Joey confirmed. "Things got a bit intense where I was so I selected a place with a pretty name down on the coast and this was it."

Charlie nodded.

"Will you be staying long?"

She couldn't help but feel nervous. Joey held a lot of her secrets that she'd rather not have exposed.

"Until I get bored, I guess," Joey said vaguely. "I haven't put a whole lot of thought into it."

"Hey, Charlie!" said a male voice.

Charlie turned in surprise as Roman approached the table and kissed her cheek. He was obviously about to start his shift. She smiled and hugged him and made introductions, hoping she didn't sound too high pitched. Roman wandered into the kitchen.

"Don't worry," Joey said when they were alone again. "I won't mess up anything you've got going here."

* * *

During lunch, Charlie felt herself relax a little in Joey's company. The moment she realised it, she tensed. Relaxing with Joey didn't seem like such a good idea. She had a good set up in Summer Bay. It had taken her a while to calm down, having arrived in a storm of argument with her father and her father's new girlfriend, Morag but eventually she had been able to accept them. Her little sister, Ruby had also arrived and started school and Charlie had started dating Roman. Their relationship was going moderately well, although deep down she knew that he wasn't as into her as she was into him. He always had more important things to do and more important people to see and it hurt that he kept her at arms length. If she was being honest with herself, she didn't know how long it was going to last. But on the surface, Charlie was happy and she did not want Joey to wreck that. And yet, she believed her when she said she wouldn't and she couldn't resist wanting to spend time with her. She was fun and interesting and had the most alluring eyes Charlie had ever seen.

"I'd better head back to work," she said.

Joey nodded. They both stood up.

"Will I maybe see you around?" Joey asked.

"Um… probably," Charlie relied vaguely.

"I take it that you don't want to," Joey said bluntly, picking up her book.

"No," Charlie protested. "It's just…"

"I get it," Joey said. "You're not the first person to be ashamed, Charlie. Catch you later."

She manoeuvred past her and headed out of the Diner.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Charlie approached the bar in the Surf Club and waited to get Joey's attention. Joey forced a smile and asked for her order.

"A pint of forgiveness please," Charlie said humbly.

Joey had no choice but to grin. She leant against the counter. Charlie kept her eyes fixed on Joey's. Her hair fell around her face, which was flawless.

"I'm sorry I've been so awkward with you," Charlie continued. "It's just that you being here kind of threw me."

"I know. It kind of threw me too… bumping into you," Joey admitted.

"Three random meetings in three years has to be a record," Charlie said thoughtfully.

"The last two were pretty fun," Joey said with a grin.

Charlie snorted. She indulged in a handful of flashbacks and then snapped back to reality. Her eyes trailed down below Joey's face just once and then back up again. She told herself to behave.

"Not that I'm expecting anything like that this time," Joey assured her.

"That was a one time thing," Charlie said.

Joey raised her eyebrows.

"A two time thing," Charlie corrected herself.

"I know. You have a boyfriend. And nobody knows anything about the couple of mistakes you made. I get it."

"How…?"

"Because straight girls tend to make mistakes with me. I try desperately hard not to take it personally."

Charlie chewed her lip thoughtfully and felt the need to apologise.

"But if it's alright with you, I really would love to be friends, Charlie," Joey said seriously.

"Would that be okay? I mean, nothing has to happen. I'm not going to force myself on you or anything like that. You know that's not me. But I don't know anyone here and if you'd be willing, I'd really appreciate your friendship."

Charlie thought about it, wondering if it was too big an ask. She didn't want it to be. She nodded firmly and smiled.

"We can be friends," she said.

* * *

That night, Charlie lay in Roman's arms, waiting for sleep to claim her. Her evening with Roman had been a little strange considering Joey had been the bartender in the background. It was enough to make her head spin. And sex with Roman tonight had been different too. Sudden flashes of Joey had made unwelcome impositions into her mind during, confusing and distracting her. She'd put all her effort into making Roman happy but now, laying in the dark, her head was still full of Joey and the first night they'd met. Charlie had been in her first year of study and she and her friends had gone out to a club. She'd noticed Joey immediately, working at the bar. They'd shared a smile and said hello when Charlie had ordered her drink and then Charlie had continued with her night. But as the evening had worn on, her friends had all ended up with different people and Charlie had wound up propping up the bar alone. Joey had provided her with a free shot to cheer her up and Charlie had only agreed to drink it with company. Three shots later, the girls had got talking. Joey's company had been as intoxicating as the alcohol and Charlie had stayed until closing time. Joey was the last member of staff to leave, having been given the responsibility to close up and Charlie had stayed to help her, even though both women knew it was against the rules. She'd helped out by sweeping the messy floor. Handing the broom back over, their fingers hand touched, their eyes had locked and that had been the point of no return. Charlie remembered all too clearly the sound of the broom clattering to the floor and the feel of Joey's arms around her as she'd nudged her back against the wall. Joey's lips had descended on Charlie's, devouring her without permission, although Charlie would have given it willingly. There in the empty club, in the early hours of the morning, pressed against the wall, they had consumed each other passionately. Breathing heavily, Joey had smothered Charlie in kisses and slipped her top over her head, expertly unfastening her bra. A little less confidently, Charlie had removed Joey's upper clothing and marvelled at what she'd found there. She wasn't used to this. She'd only ever been with men before. It was just Joey, this random barmaid that was special. Joey massaged Charlie's breasts alternately with her mouth and fingers before reaching down to help her out of her jeans. Sinking onto her knees, Joey had been determined to bring Charlie to climax and she had succeeded. Afterwards, Joey had returned to Charlie's mouth, kissing her again. It had been strange to taste herself ever so faintly on Joey's mouth. Joey whispered an invitation back to her place and Charlie had accepted without hesitation. Setting their clothes right again and finishing a very hurried clean up of the bar, they'd escaped back to Joey's apartment and not managed to sleep until well into the morning.

* * *

Charlie woke up tired and somewhat aroused in the morning. Her dreams had involved the first night with Joey and how amazing it had been. The barmaid had made her feel things she'd never felt before or since. No boyfriend, not even Roman, who she adored so much, had been as attentive or loving as Joey had been. It had been like Joey knew her intimately even before she'd really known her intimately.

"Are you okay?" Roman asked as he made them breakfast.

"Huh?" she asked, distractedly.

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

She kissed him as he set a plate down in front of her.

"Good."

"Are we still having dinner tonight?" she asked.

"Oh, I was hoping we could rein check," he said awkwardly. "I wanted to spend some quality time with Nicole."

Charlie sighed. She wasn't sure exactly how true that was. Roman was often in the habit of blowing hot and cold with her. It seemed that if they spent too many nights in a row together, he cooled off and invented some excuse not to see her for a few days. She was getting a little tired of it. Either he wanted to be with her or he didn't. She suspected that he didn't.

"Okay," she said.

He smiled at her, as if to tell her that he cared for her. She focussed on her food.

* * *

Joey struggled to concentrate on the running machine so that she didn't fall off but the fact that Charlie was flat on her back doing sit ups in very tight gym gear was extremely distracting. She'd almost forgotten what an amazing body Charlie had. Almost. Her stomach was toned, her breasts were full and her legs were long and slender. It took every ounce of self control not to fling herself on top of her right there and then. It was only the fact that she knew Charlie would be furious that stopped her. She chewed her lip and slyly kept watching Charlie's vigorous movement, occasionally lapsing into the memories of that incredible body writhing beneath her on more than one occasion in previous years. She knew it was unlikely to happen again but she hoped they could at least be friends. Above anything else, Charlie was an amazing person. She was funny, kind, intelligent and captivating and someone that Joey definitely wanted to have in her life. She watched Charlie get up and followed suit by getting off the running machine too, carefully ensuring that they bumped into each other towards the exit. Charlie looked flushed to see her.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hi," said Joey.

"How's it going?"

Joey shrugged.

"Fine. Just about to start work."

"Me too."

They both shifted awkwardly, looking each other up and down.

"Would you um, like to do something tonight?" Charlie asked, completely out of the blue.

Joey was taken by surprise. She blinked a few times.

"Maybe a drink or something?" Charlie added.

"Sure," Joey agreed, nodding. "I'd love to. That would be great."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Charlie and Joey sat on the couches at the Surf Club drinking wine, surprised at how easy it was to relax into conversation again.

"So, you're the bad ass cop in this town then, are you?" Joey asked.

"Well, I've never quite described myself like that but… yeah, I guess so," Charlie laughed.

"I can imagine you're pretty strict," Joey said, grinning wickedly.

"When I need to be."

"So I recall."

Charlie nearly choked on her drink. Joey laughed. Both pictured the second time they were together, having randomly met again for a weekend. Charlie had needed a break from her final year of training and taken herself off to a hotel. Joey had been working in the hotel and captured Charlie's attention again. She had been thrilled to find that Charlie had brought her handcuffs with her.

"Sorry," Joey said with a cheeky wink. "I couldn't resist."

"That's okay," Charlie said. "Just say those kind of things quietly!"

"I will," Joey promised. "I kind of like having naughty secrets between us."

Charlie suddenly realised that the two of them were leaning extremely close to each other. She drew back slightly but couldn't bring herself to pull back too far. She blushed. Joey cleared her throat.

"So um, how come you don't have a date with your boyfriend tonight?" Joey asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, he had something else to do," Charlie said, shrugging.

Joey nodded.

"Are you okay?" she asked carefully.

"Yeah," Charlie lied.

Joey peered at her, concerned.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"I just don't think Roman's that into me. I really care about him but I'm thinking maybe it's time to give him an ultimatum – commit or say goodbye. This whole casual thing really isn't working for me."

She sighed heavily.

"Well, I'm sure he'll commit," Joey said confidently. "Nobody would be fool enough to lose someone as amazing as you if they can help it."

Joey knew if she'd have had the chance, she'd be with Charlie now but keeping her had been an impossibility. Their first time had been a sneaky one-night-stand that Charlie had been ashamed of. She was a straight girl, through and through who was well on her way to becoming a high ranking police officer. Dabbling in homosexuality was not a good move. The second time was a whole weekend where they had been able to get to know each other a whole lot better and that had been wonderful but it had been more like a holiday romance. And besides, Joey moved around so much, she didn't do relationships particularly well. She was more of a loner. And now she might settle for a little while but it seemed that a relationship with Charlie was still out of the question, although Joey would definitely like one. Charlie was everything she wanted. But Charlie was still straight and in a relationship with a man, albeit an rocky one, and she had established and settled herself in town. Joey was her dirty, little secret that she did not want to come out. No, a relationship was definitely not possible. She tried not to let her ramblings show on her face. She smiled instead. Charlie smiled back.

"What about you?" Charlie asked. "Is there anyone special in your life?"

Joey shook her head.

"You know me," she said. "I like to flit."

"I'm not sure how much… flitting you'll manage here," Charlie warned. "This is a pretty straight town."

"I'm sure I'll find some entertainment," Joey grinned. "I always do."

"I have no doubt."

* * *

Two hours later, Joey was feeling tipsy and decided she needed to stretch her legs and get some fresh air. Charlie found it cute, considering Joey had only had three glasses of wine and opted to be a responsible adult and go with her.

"Not used to being on the other side of the bar?" Charlie giggled, as she and Joey headed out of the Surf Club.

Joey shook her head.

"Pretty much. It goes to my head pretty quickly," she admitted.

They reached the sand. Joey wobbled a little on the uneven surfaces and Charlie reached out to grab her arm. The physical touch brought a rush of memories to the forefront of her mind. There had been that first touch over the broom handle that she'd mused over the night before; and lying in bed together the following morning, cuddling close, stroking each other's skin. They both reacted to the sensation and looked at each other. Joey righted herself and the girls continued to walk separately. Charlie felt her heart beating so hard in her chest she thought it might explode.

"I'm a pretty hardened drinker," Charlie admitted, as they walked.

Joey chuckled.

"Listen, I'm really glad we can be friends," she said.

"Me too," said Charlie. "I mean, beyond anything… else. I think you're a great person. And I feel like we get on really well."

"We do," Joey agreed with a smile. "And just because something happened before. It doesn't mean it has to happen again, does it?"

"Exactly! It's not like we don't have self control."

Joey suddenly tripped. Charlie reached out to catch her. She aimed for Joey's shoulders but her knuckles grazed her breasts. She felt startled by the touch and snatched her hands away, placing them firmly on Joey's shoulders and making sure she was upright.

"I think I'd better head home," Joey concluded.

The girls headed back up the beach together.

* * *

Lying in bed that night, sleep eluded Charlie completely. All she could think about was that brief moment that her knuckles had touched Joey's breasts. Those were the first part of her that had ever come into contact with them all those years ago too. In the club, Charlie hadn't actually touched Joey. Joey had been the one to do all the work. She had provided all the pleasure. Back at her apartment, Charlie had been shy and painfully aware that she'd never been with a woman before and didn't know what to do. Taking her to bed, guiding her onto the mattress and stripping them both carefully of their clothes, Joey had led the way. Charlie had awkwardly admitted that she didn't know what to do. She'd expected Joey to laugh and turn her out onto the street but Joey had just whispered to her to do what she wanted to do, what felt right. Charlie had gazed at her beautiful body. She had kissed her lips and grazed her breasts with her knuckles shyly, just to see what it felt like to touch another woman. She'd come back a second time with her palms, then her thumbs, then her fingers and then finally with her lips and her tongue. And that's how it had begun. Tonight on the beach, just like seeing Joey again behind the bar at the Surf Club the other night had sparked a host of memories that she thought she'd locked away forever. Now so many hidden feelings were threatening to burst out and she wasn't sure she could cope.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Joey woke up in a good mood. It seemed like her random location choosing had proved to be a good move. She hadn't had the best run of luck lately but bumping into Charlie again felt like a dream come true and if she wasn't mistaken, the same feelings were still there. While she doubted Charlie would ever be willing to act on them anymore, especially not in her hometown, it felt quite nice to think that at least the emotion was there and that it might be real. They may have started as a one night stand three years ago but Joey had known from the first moment that she laid eyes on Charlie that she was special. She didn't think the day would ever come when she would stop wanting to be part of her life. Maybe now they were sharing a small town it would be possible to be friends like they were planning. The previous night had been a lot of fun. Physical contact had been awkward to say the least but Joey hoped they could get over it. And that the physical contact could continue. As she got dressed and ready for work, she wondered if would get to see her friend that day.

* * *

Charlie arrived in the Diner for her morning coffee before work, hoping to snatch a few moments with Roman before she headed off to work. He was busy in the kitchen but Irene allowed her to go on through as usual. Roman was quick to stop chopping salad and wrap her in his arms, kissing her and telling her that he'd missed her the night before. She was pleased and hoped that meant that maybe he did want to be with her after all.

"So, what did you get up to last night while I was bonding with my misfit daughter?" Roman asked.

"I just went out with a friend," Charlie shrugged, propping herself up on a clean surface.

Roman moved in between her legs and wrapped his arms around her, looking puzzled as to why she didn't just name Martha or Leah who whoever she had spent her time with.

"It was that girl Joey," Charlie explained. "The one I introduced you to at lunch time."

"Oh, right," Roman remembered. "Where do you know her from?"

"We vaguely knew each other in the city," Charlie said.

There was no way Roman was going to find out the depth of her history with Joey. Not even Ruby knew that much and Ruby knew almost everything about her. She didn't want another living soul to know what type of girl she really was.

"Oh really? How?" Roman asked.

Charlie panicked.

"She was… she worked in the local bar I went to in my first year of training. It was… it was a while ago now. Obviously."

She blushed. Roman nodded, accepting her explanation.

"So, do you want to do something tonight?" she asked. "As we missed out last night?"

He looked awkward.

"Well, I kind of said I meet Miles, Jack, Tony and Angelo tonight," he told her.

She looked disappointed. Sensing she was about to launch into an explosion he came up with a suggestion.

"Maybe we could turn it into a group thing! You, Martha, Rachel, maybe Leah… You could bring Joey. Hey, maybe we should set one of them up with Angelo."

She smiled awkwardly, knowing if there was going to be a set up, it would have to be with Leah. Regardless of how pretty Angelo was, Charlie was fairly certain he wasn't Joey's type.

"Tonight sounds good," Charlie agreed.

Roman kissed her and she headed out to work.

* * *

"Your boys' night has altered a little bit," Charlie informed Jack and Angelo when she arrived at work later that morning.

"Excuse me?" said Jack.

"Me and the girls are joining you," Charlie said.

"Do you not understand the concept of boys' night?" Angelo asked.

"And do you not understand the concept of never getting to spend any time with my own boyfriend?" Charlie asked.

Angelo sighed.

"Ah well, at least I know you can drink beer with the best of us," he said, continuing to rifle through his paperwork.

"Hey, Watson, do you want to come out for drinks tonight?" Charlie asked when her colleague entered the police station.

Watson smiled and nodded, pleased to be included.

* * *

Joey enjoyed a fairly leisurely morning as things had been pretty quiet. She had taken the time to get to know her boss and her other colleagues. She'd wandered round to get talking to Tony as well and attempt to integrate herself a little bit into the place she was going to call home for at least a little while. She didn't traditionally stay anywhere for more than a year. She normally stayed for much less than that but for now, Summer Bay was home so it was important to make friends. It was also important not to get fixated on Charlie. Just as she'd entered her head, the woman in question entered the bar.

"Hi," Joey said pleasantly.

Charlie smiled as she approached.

"Hi, Joey," she said. "I wanted to invite you out tonight. Well, actually I wanted to invite you here tonight."

Joey laughed and tried not to look too thrilled.

"There's a group of us going for drinks," Charlie explained. "Me, Roman, a few of my colleagues. I thought it'd be nice for you to get to know people."

Joey tried not to hate the image of spending a night out with Charlie and her boyfriend, although she realised that she would have to get used to it eventually. She smiled, hoping it looked genuine.

"That would be really nice. Thank you for thinking of me."

"Of course," Charlie said. "Well, it was Roman really, if I'm being honest. There should be a good crowd there. I'll introduce you to everyone. Hey, maybe we could have dinner first and then we could go together?"

"I'd really like that. Thank you. I'll cook if you want to come to me," she said.

"Great," Charlie said.

Joey wrote down her address.

Charlie was dressed in dark blue. Her dress had one strap and the bottom was cut diagonally at the thigh. She shifted nervously as she waited for Joey to answer the door. She hoped she looked okay and constantly reminded herself that really she was dressing up for Roman, not for Joey.

"Wow!" Joey said, pulling open the door.

Charlie beamed. Joey let her inside and gave her a hug. Charlie followed her into the small living room where she had set a little table for dinner.

"I made pasta," she said. "I think I remember you liking it."

She looked nervous about getting it wrong but Charlie nodded, yes.

"Thank you," Charlie said.

"Take a seat," said Joey. "And make yourself useful by opening the wine."

Charlie grabbed the wine bottle on the table and started on the cork while Joey bustled about in the kitchen.

"So, how was your day?" Joey asked, returning to the room with their plates.

"Fairly gruelling," Charlie said, pouring the wine into glasses. "I had so much paperwork that I just wanted to shred the lot of it."

Joey laughed.

"Oh, poor thing," she said empathetically. "I'm sure I have something that could cheer you up."

Charlie looked suddenly worried about what she meant.

"Relax, Charlie," Joey said. "I was talking about dessert."

Charlie looked relieved. She smiled.

"If you want something else, however…"

Joey grinned and Charlie patted her playfully on the arm.

"What _is_ for dessert?" Charlie asked.

"Well…"

"Joey!"

"Ice cream," Joey informed her. "Served any way you like."

Charlie started coughing. Joey started laughing.

"Joey, you have to behave tonight," Charlie warned.

"Of course," Joey replied innocently.

They continued eating in silence. Finally Joey had to ask the question that had been bugging her since they had met again.

"So, do you ever think about… us?"

Charlie dropped her fork and looked at Joey.

"What do you mean?" she asked, stalling for time.

"Have you ever thought about the time we spent together? You know, during the time we've been apart?"

"A little bit," Charlie admitted, picking her fork back up and concentrating hard on her food.

Joey smiled, deciding not to push.

"Do you?" Charlie asked.

"Regularly," Joey replied simply enough.

"Really?" Charlie asked, surprised.

"Of course," Joey said. "You were the best I've ever had."

Charlie stared at her incredulously as Joey continued eating, completely non-plussed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Joey was a little nervous when Charlie led her into the Surf Club to meet her friends. For all her confidence and bravado, she was fairly shy and meeting a large group of strangers felt a little overwhelming. Charlie led her into the corner.

"Hey guys," Charlie said. "Everyone, this is Joey. She's new in town."

Joey waved shyly as all of Charlie's friends said hello. Charlie weaved her way into the corner to sit beside Roman, kissing his cheek and guiding Joey in to sit beside her. Joey found herself sitting between Charlie and a woman who introduced herself as Georgie Watson, a colleague of Charlie's. Joey did not fail to notice that Watson had checked her out. _Lesbian_, Joey concluded. _And Charlie said this was a straight town_, she thought to herself.

"Hi, Joey, I'm Rachel," said the woman opposite her, reaching out to shake her hand.

"Hi," Joey said. "Pleased to meet you."

"I gather you already met my fiancé, Tony."

"Yeah, we got talking today," Tony said.

Jack, Martha and Leah all introduced themselves. Joey began to relax a little.

"Hey, everybody!" Angelo said, joining the group, ever cheerful.

He spotted Joey immediately.

"Wow! Who's the new hottie?"

Joey blushed and exchanged glances with Charlie.

"Do you have to pounce before you've even sat down?" Charlie asked, feeling protective.

"Why waste time?" Angelo asked. "So, what's your name and where are you from?"

Joey laughed.

"My name's Joey and I'm from so many places that I've pretty much forgotten."

"And are you single?"

"Profoundly," Joey said seriously.

"Really?" Angelo said, becoming more and more interested by the second.

"Also profoundly gay," Joey said.

Angelo's heart sank. Watson perked up. Charlie tensed. She hadn't quite expected Joey to out herself. She tried to convince herself to calm down. It wasn't as if Joey had outed her as well, was it? Everyone looked up as Miles joined them.

"So, what are we talking about?" the curly haired man asked brightly.

"Lesbianism," Angelo said, sounding utterly fascinated.

Miles looked perplexed as he sat down. Joey didn't look like she was sure she'd made her best move in the world and Charlie was rigid in Roman's arms.

"So, Joey, what brings you to the Bay?" Rachel asked.

"I thought it had a pretty name," Joey admitted, glad to be talking about something else.

"And how do you know Charlie?" Martha wanted to know.

"She worked in Charlie's local bar when Charlie was in her first year of training," Roman said from the corner of the huddle.

Joey exchanged a look with Charlie, interested in how Charlie had explained their connection to her boyfriend.

"Yeah, we knew each other a while ago," Joey said. "Anyway, enough about me. What do you guys all do?"

* * *

From what she gathered from the evening, Joey deduced that Roman was a chef who had once fought in Afghanistan. He was dating Charlie but there didn't seem to as much of a spark there as either one of them seemed to want, although from the moment Joey had admitted to being gay, he'd seemed a little more possessive of his girlfriend. It also hadn't escaped Joey's attention that Roman looked at Martha a lot, although Martha didn't seem to look back much. Martha was a friendly woman, pretty and outgoing and absolutely besotted with her partner, Jack, who, if Joey had got it right in her head, was Charlie's colleague. He seemed like an exceptionally nice guy – mild mannered, kind and funny. Tony was his father and the two of them got on like a house on fire and his fiancée, Rachel was gorgeous. She was a Doctor and seemed positively revered by her friends and community. Joey liked her instantly. Leah was Charlie's housemate. She was also very beautiful and seemed very sweet natured. She worked with Roman at the Diner and had a young son. Miles was adorable; a teacher who also ran a caravan park as well as took in waifs and strays. Angelo was charming and funny. He was good looking and he knew it and had spent much of the evening trying to convince her to give men one last shot. Joey had been amused both by him and by Charlie's crankiness over his harmless advances. She couldn't find it in her heart to be offended by him. Joey found Watson somewhat intriguing. While she wasn't attracted to her exactly, there was always something nice about finding a fellow dyke in her midst.

* * *

As the night drew on, the group thinned out until only Joey, Charlie, Roman, Angelo and Watson were left. Charlie laughed hard at one of Angelo's inappropriate jokes. The more wine she had, the more amusing she found him, although his relentless commitment to hitting on Joey was still annoying. Why wouldn't he just accept that she was gay and therefore he didn't stand a chance?

"I guess I'd better call it a night," Joey said, casting a glance at the time.

"Would you like me to walk you home?" Angelo offered.

"I think I'll be fine," Joey laughed.

"Watson, you genuinely do live nearby," Charlie realised. "Maybe you two could walk together."

Joey looked bemused for a moment, wondering why Charlie was trying to push them together. Maybe she really did want to put a wall between the two of them.

"That'd be fine," Watson said. "If you want me to."

"Yeah, great," Joey said, standing up.

Angelo looked disappointed.

* * *

Charlie and Roman walked home hand in hand.

"So, you and Joey are close, are you?" Roman ventured, casting a sideways glance at Charlie, who looked back at him curiously.

"I guess," she replied vaguely, not sure she was entirely comfortable about where this might be leading.

"Why?"

"Well, I mean, you don't think…"

"What?"

"You don't think she might have a crush on you, do you?" Roman asked.

"A crush? What? Just because she's a lesbian?" Charlie challenged.

Roman looked down.

"Roman, there's nothing going on between us," she assured him.

"Well, I know that. I was just wondering if she liked you. Maybe she followed you here or something."

"She didn't. Joey is nothing if not honest. She wouldn't do something like that," Charlie insisted.

"Good. I don't like the idea of some woman chasing after my girlfriend. Well, not unless I'm involved," he grinned.

"You sound like Angelo!" Charlie laughed, as they headed back to Roman's house.

* * *

Watson walked Joey to her door.

"Well, I'll see you around," she said.

"Yeah," Joey said, feeling a little awkward. "Goodnight. It was great to meet you."

Watson leant forward and kissed her cheek quickly and then hurried off into the night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Joey awoke from pleasant dreams about Charlie fused with some peculiar ones about Watson and Angelo that confused her brain. She determined not to drink wine again. But then, she said that every morning after a night of drinking the stuff and she never changed her ways. Showering and dressing as quickly she possible, she opted to go for a run. Pounding her feet on the sand as hard as she could, she enjoyed the burning hot sun on her back. She stopped to catch her breath and drink some water. Screwing the lid back on her bottle she spotted Charlie running up the beach. She took in the vision and her heart rate sped up again. She was just so perfect. When Charlie spotted her, she jogged over to say hello.

"Did you have a good night last night?" she asked.

"Yeah, it was fun," Joey enthused.

"Sorry about Angelo, by the way. He doesn't know when to quit."

"Oh, he seemed pretty harmless," Joey said. "He was fine."

"Yeah, he's actually pretty sweet," Charlie agreed.

"So, I worked in your local, did I?" Joey questioned her.

Charlie flushed.

"I couldn't exactly tell the truth, could I?" she said.

"Well, you could but that would mean revealing your dirty, little secret."

Charlie frowned, afraid that she had wounded Joey. She held Joey's elbow and took her to one side, even though nobody was really near them.

"It's not dirty… it's just… I'm just… I don't… I'm not ready."

"I know."

"And that part of my life is over so there's no need…"

Joey held onto Charlie's hands.

"I know. I was kidding. Sort of."

Charlie smiled. Joey smiled back.

"I don't mind being the barmaid in your old local."

They broke contact.

"Thanks. So, what are you up to today?"

"Well, I have the day off so I'm going to buy paint."

"Because that's compulsory for any day off?" Charlie teased.

"Because I want to decorate my dingy, little apartment."

* * *

Charlie also had the day off work and so did Roman but the day hadn't gone to plan. She had desperately tried to spend time with him and while he had been present in the room with her, conversation had been strained.

"So, would you like to have dinner tonight?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," Roman replied.

"I'll do the cooking. I promise."

"Great."

He didn't seem too interested.

"Roman, what's wrong?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing."

"Roman?"

"Nothing, Charlie. Stop crowding me!"

"Crowding you?" she said. "I do nothing but give you space!"

He stared at her.

"You've been off with me all day."

"Sorry. I think I drank too much last night. And we had a late one. I'm just tired."

"You know, there's always something," Charlie pointed out sadly.

"What do you mean?"

Charlie sat down heavily on his sofa.

"Roman, we've been casual for a while. Don't you think you and I should really be going somewhere by now?"

"Charlie, do we have to talk about this right this minute?"

His head was throbbing. He wasn't in the mood.

"Yes, I think we do," Charlie replied.

Joey's arrival in the Bay had made her reassess her life and what she wanted. She cared a lot for Roman but thinking about how much Joey had once desired her made her realise just how much Roman's care for her paled in comparison. If she and Roman were going to be together, she wanted it to be real.

"Well, what do you want, Charlie?" Roman asked.

"I either want you to commit to me completely or not at all," Charlie told him firmly.

He looked at her and sighed, turning the ultimatum over in his mind. Charlie was a beautiful, successful, caring, albeit hot-headed and somewhat demanding woman. It wasn't that he wanted to be with anyone else, nobody attainable anyway, but did he really want to be with her completely?

"Not at all," he said.

The words escaped his lips before he'd really thought them through. She looked devastated. He closed his eyes to shut the image out. Standing, Charlie grabbed her bag and left his house, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Joey was surprised to hear a knock on her door at dinner time. She had just been about to warm up the pasta left over from the night before.

"Charlie!" she said, surprised.

Charlie entered the flat without being invited. She looked upset.

"Are you okay?" Joey asked, following her into the living room.

Charlie threw herself onto Joey's sofa and burst into tears. Joey immediately sat beside her and put a comforting arm around her friend.

"What's wrong?"

"Roman and I split up."

"I'm sorry," Joey said genuinely.

She held her close and let her cry.

* * *

After half an hour of tears, Charlie gathered herself together, regained her composure and apologised for imposing on Joey.

"It's fine," Joey said. "Are you hungry? I have left over pasta. And ice cream."

"How can I refuse?" Charlie grinned.

Joey scampered off and brought back their meals on trays.

"I figured today was a day for couch food," she explained.

Charlie smiled gratefully. They ate together while Charlie relayed the conversation. Joey offered helpful observations about Roman being a moron for letting Charlie go. He obviously didn't know a good thing when he had it. Joey explained that Charlie was beautiful, funny and charming and that one day she would find someone who would appreciate her for exactly who she was.

"Would an orgasm help?" she asked, completely deadpan.

"Excuse me?" Charlie asked, flabbergasted.

"The cocktail, Charlie," Joey grinned. "I was talking about the cocktail."

"Oh! Yeah, that'd be nice."

"I'll be right back."

Joey giggled to herself, pleased at the lather her comments were still able to get Charlie into.

* * *

Two hours later, Charlie felt more cheerful and had decided that Joey could make a good cocktail, although she had decided to take it easy.

"So, what colour are you going to paint this place?"

"Blue," Joey said.

She pointed to the tins of paint in the corner.

"Let me guess – like the sea."

Joey nodded. Charlie smiled.

"I'm going to start tomorrow."

"I'm not working until the evening so I could come and help you if you like," Charlie offered.

"Yeah, that would be great if you didn't mind," Joey said, jumping at the chance both of help and spending time with Charlie.

"Okay. What time do you want me?"

"Anytime," Joey said with a shy smile.

Charlie blushed and concentrated on her drink.

"Nine thirty?" Joey suggested.

"I'll be there."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Charlie arrived at Joey's flat at nine thirty on the dot. She was wearing old, baggy jeans and a tight, white vest, which already had paint marks on it from when she and Ruby had painted their bedrooms earlier that year when they'd moved in with Leah.

"How do you manage to look good in everything?" Joey asked when she let her in.

Charlie chuckled and found herself thinking the same thing about Joey who busied herself making coffee before they got started.

* * *

They'd been painting for half an hour.

"I hope I'm going to get a reward for this," Charlie said.

"Isn't the pleasure of my company enough?" Joey asked with a wink.

"Nope."

Joey pouted. Charlie grinned.

"Of course it is."

"What reward would you like?" Joey asked, stretching towards a far corner with her roller.

Charlie paused to observe her taut stomach.

"Another orgasm would be nice."

"Cocktail or proper?" Joey said with a teasing lilt to her voice.

Charlie just stared.

"Please let her say proper, please let her say proper," Joey said hopefully.

Charlie laughed. Paint dripped from her brush.

"You're dripping," Joey pointed out.

"You're one to talk," Charlie quipped, rectifying the situation and returning to the wall.

* * *

Joey stood behind Charlie, making her jump.

"You know, with the pace you're going, I don't think you deserve a reward," she commented.

Charlie spun round, frowning.

"I am being detailed," she protested.

Joey laughed, enjoying winding her up.

"Yeah, well, Miss Detailed, you missed a bit."

"Where?" Charlie asked, genuinely annoyed.

"There," Joey said, dabbing some blue paint on Charlie's nose.

Charlie shook her head.

"You did not just paint me," she said, disbelievingly.

"Of course I didn't," she replied innocently.

"You're being particularly cheeky today," Charlie said.

She dabbed Joey's cheek with paint. Joey sulked. She met Charlie's challenging eyes and before long they were in all out war.

"Careful of my carpet! I want my deposit back!" Joey shrieked as Charlie flung paint at her from the pot.

Joey rugby tackled Charlie and they fell to the ground, onto the dust sheets in a heap, laughing. Lying atop Charlie, Joey grabbed the paintbrush out of her hand and circled her breasts, triumphantly painting them. She pulled back, proudly admiring her handy work. Charlie looked down.

"Now, you know they're nicer than that," she said.

"I know," Joey agreed.

She rolled off Charlie, who took the moment to roller Joey's back.

"Hey! No fair!" Joey protested. "I wasn't ready!"

"You defaced my outfit!" Charlie argued.

They mock-glared at each other before breaking out into smiles.

"Why does everything descend into chaos when I'm around you?" Joey asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Charlie asked.

* * *

Later, with the first coat of paint drying, Charlie was reclining on the sofa. Joey brought in two cups of coffee and set them down on the table.

"I thought about my reward," Charlie said.

"Proper orgasm?" Joey asked with a grin.

Charlie shook her head and chuckled.

"As talented as you are in that area, no. I thought of something else you're good at."

She wiggled her feet.

"Foot massage," Joey concluded.

She sighed and sat down cross legged at Charlie's feet, immediately beginning to rub.

"Oh, you're so easy!" Charlie laughed.

She hadn't expected to actually get what she wanted.

"Does this mean I can pretty much get whatever I want from you?" she asked.

"Pretty much."

Charlie smiled and relished the relaxing touch. Joey had always been good with her hands.

"I'll bear that in mind," Charlie said.

Joey concentrated on Charlie's toes and enjoyed being permitted to touch her, even if it was only her feet.

"So, are you working tonight?" Joey asked.

"Delightful night shift," Charlie sighed.

She wiggled her right foot, asking her to pay attention to it. Joey obliged.

"Me too."

"Thanks for being there for me last night and today by the way," Charlie said. "It really means a lot to have you around. I think I would have been a total mess otherwise."

"No problem. And I am genuinely sorry about you and Roman. And if I can help at all, just let me know. I really do mean that."

Charlie smiled.

"Thank you. You're already helping."

Joey set Charlie's feet down, hoping she was satisfied with her massage and took a breath, extremely aware that her head was in line with Charlie waist.

"You know, while I'm down here..."

She grinned.

"Don't even think about it," Charlie warned, although the idea wasn't exactly horrific.

The two women met each other's gaze and smiled. Joey reached up and rubbed her thumbs gently along Charlie's inner thighs, just above her knees, purely to see what Charlie would do. Charlie breathed in quickly and chewed her lip.

"I could make you feel amazing," Joey whispered, never breaking eye contact. "I could take you up and over the edge of ecstasy if only you gave me permission."

"If I said yes, you'd run a mile," Charlie said certainly.

"Try me."

Charlie unfastened the button and zip of her jeans and eased them down, challenging her and never breaking eye contact. Joey swallowed and looked into Charlie's eyes, wondering if this was really happening. She'd assumed they were only playing and that Charlie had left this life behind.

"Really?" Joey asked, not entirely sure she could handle the challenge.

Charlie's head was swimming. She shouldn't be doing this. She was straight. Nothing about Joey made sense but somehow being around her threw all her senses out of whack. It was like she had an overwhelming compulsion to be with her. All the rules flew out of the window when Joey was around and she wanted to commit her body to her. But she couldn't come out as liking girls. She couldn't come out as liking Joey. Her family and friends would freak out. They would disown her. They wouldn't feel the same about her. But now, looking into Joey's imploring eyes, knowing how good it could be between them, she just couldn't say no.

"Just once," she whispered.

* * *

Joey curled up in Charlie's embrace on the sofa, feeling closer to her than she had since their weekend together in the hotel. Slipping inside her had been amazing, better than she'd even remembered. The taste and texture of Charlie was wonderful and being responsible for her pleasure was a beautiful sensation. The feeling of Charlie writhing beneath her and hearing her gasping and calling her name felt so satisfying and now cuddled up with her, Joey felt safe. She ran a hand along Charlie's arm.

"So, what do we do now?" Joey wondered aloud.

"I have no idea," Charlie admitted. "I thought all this was over."

"Me too."

"I guess… I guess you and I will never really be over."

"In all honesty, Charlie, I don't want us to ever be over," Joey said earnestly.

They held hands.

"I don't know what this means for my life, Joey," Charlie ventured.

Joey nodded.

"Three years ago, you completely changed my life. I can pretend all I want but I've never been the same since I met you."

"So, what do you want to do now?" Joey said. "Because it's different this time. This isn't a club where you don't think you're going to see me again. And it's not a hotel in the middle of nowhere for a naughty weekend away. This is your town; it's my town now, with your family and your friends. This is your choice."

"Can we just… see what happens?" Charlie asked. "Keep it between us, take the pressure away?"

"You mean just explore our feelings in secret?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"Charlie, I want to be with you. I'm pretty much willing to play it any way you want to," Joey said.

Charlie leant forward and kissed her. Their lips pressed together gently before the pressure started the build. Charlie's mouth opened ever so slightly and her tongue sought entry to meet Joey's. Their kiss deepened, as did their embrace. Joey slipped onto Charlie's lap and ran her fingers through Charlie's hair. Coming up momentarily for air, Charlie grinned.

"Who on earth gets kissed _there _before they get kissed _here_?" she asked, pointing first between her legs and then to her mouth.

"I guess we have a different kind of love story," Joey replied.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

It had been a long shift so far and Joey couldn't wait for it to be over. She was looking forward to a nice long sleep and then once Charlie had recovered from her night shift and caught up on her own sleep, they were planning on renting Alf's boat for a picnic and a trip out on the water to spend some quality time together. Her shift and her sleep couldn't pass too quickly as far as Joey was concerned.

Standing behind the counter of the nearly empty bar, having wiped all the surfaces and restocked everything necessary, Joey had nothing left to do but daydream. She thought back to the second time she had met Charlie. Joey had fled the city after her brother, Brett had surprised her with a visit and found a girl sleeping in her room. Reaching the conclusion that, as he'd suspected, Joey was a lesbian, Brett had completely lost control. They'd fought physically and Joey had lost. After a couple of days in hospital, cut and bruised and with severely damaged pride, Joey had handed in her notice on her apartment and job and left town. She'd ended up in a different town altogether and got a job in a hotel. She was certain that her heart had stopped when, a few months in, Charlie had walked in and ordered a drink. It had been eighteen months earlier that they'd slept together but Joey had never forgotten the police officer in training. She was exquisitely unforgettable. And she'd been thrilled when Charlie had recognised her on sight. They'd both danced around the issue for the first few hours but Charlie had kept ordering more drinks and before long it had become obvious that they'd be sharing a room that night. They'd shared a room for four nights over that long weekend and it had been amazing. Every moment between shifts, Joey had found time to spend with Charlie, who, bogged down with the stress of her final training year, had taken herself away for the weekend to de-stress. Joey had loved getting to know Charlie beyond sex. They had shared meals, walks, day trips, laughter, conversation and closeness. And so far away from everyone she knew, Charlie threw herself to abandon and didn't care who saw them and who knew what. They'd explored each other's bodies and souls. It had been perfect. But it had been short-lived. They hadn't exchanged numbers. They hadn't kept in touch and they hadn't expected to see each other again. It was a holiday romance that had meant the world.

* * *

Charlie was knee deep in paperwork when Watson hovered in the doorway.

"I brought you a coffee," she said.

Charlie smiled brightly and thanked her.

"I heard you growling," Watson explained. "I thought you might need it."

Charlie flushed and offered Watson a seat.

"It's nights like these that I actually wish something exciting would happen," she said. "Although, I'm sure I'll live to eat my words."

She sipped her coffee gratefully. Watson smiled.

"So, what's your friend Joey like?"

Charlie tensed. Why was Watson asking about Joey? What did she know?

"Why?" she asked.

"Oh, I just… she seemed nice."

Suddenly everything fell into place. Charlie felt stupid. And jealous.

"She is nice," she said tightly. "But very complicated. I wouldn't go there."

Watson looked disappointed.

"Why complicated?" she asked.

"Oh um… I just… the impression I get. She moves around a lot. Stumbles into complicated situations. Falls for people who aren't good for her."

Watson nodded. Angelo entered the room brusquely.

"Bar fight at the Surf Club. Who wants to go?" he said.

Charlie's mind instantly flashed to Joey, knowing she was working there.

"I will," she said, jumping up.

Angelo followed.

* * *

Joey stood between the two women intent on tearing chunks out of each other.

"Okay, you both need to calm down!" she said.

She looked at the door, desperately hoping that the police, preferably Charlie, would arrive soon. As if in answer to prayer, Charlie and Angelo burst through the door just as one of the girls overwhelmed her and sent her flying. From the floor, Joey watched Angelo and Charlie break up the fight. Joey stood and dusted herself off and headed back behind the bar, feeling a little shaken. Once the girls had calmed down and the cops had opted not to take it any further, Charlie hurried over to make sure Joey was okay. She leant in close across the bar and placed her palm on Joey's hand.

"I'm fine," Joey promised.

"So you don't need any TLC?" Charlie asked.

"Not the kind you can give me in public. But maybe tomorrow on the boat?"

"Count on it."

* * *

"Good morning, stranger," Ruby said cheerfully when Charlie arrived home just as her sister was leaving for school.

Charlie was painfully aware of the fact that they hadn't spent any time together recently.

"I'm sorry, Rubes," Charlie apologised.

"I know you've been busy," the younger girl said, stuffing her folders and her hairbrush into her schoolbag.

"How are you anyway? You haven't even told me personally that you've split up with Roman. I bought ice cream. I was expecting inconsolable tears."

Charlie laughed at Ruby's disappointment.

"I was sad about it. I mean, I am sad about it," Charlie said.

In all honesty, she didn't really know how she felt about it.

"But I was expecting it. Roman was never as interested in me as I was in him – not from the very start. I've been denying that for ages."

Ruby nodded sadly.

"I'm really sorry, Charles."

The sisters hugged.

"And hey, who's this new girl you've been hanging out with? When do I get to meet her?"

"Joey? Oh, well, I'll invite her round. She's just moved here."

Charlie couldn't help but worry about the fact that her sister seemed to know everything about her second-hand. But then, that was Summer Bay for you. Everybody knew everybody else's business. _Just so long as nobody knows too much_, she thought to herself.

"Cool. Well, I'm off to school," Ruby said.

"And I'm going to hit the hay."

* * *

Charlie woke from a dream about a role playing games between a police officer and a thieving maid in a hotel. She was sure her dreams had only been so graphic since Joey had come back into her life. Stumbling into the kitchen, she made herself a strong coffee and then hopped into the shower, spending her morning making herself extra attractive for Joey. Finally satisfied with herself, she hurried out of the door, excited to be going on a 'date'. She headed straight to the Diner and collected the hamper that Joey had ordered earlier. It felt a little awkward when Roman handed it over.

"Off anywhere nice?" he asked.

It was the first time they had seen each other since their split. She felt like she had fallen into some kind of double life since. It felt like she had always lived some kind of double life. Was she even real?

"A boat trip," she said quietly.

"With Joey?" he probed.

"Yeah, she has an obsession with boats."

Roman nodded. Charlie recalled his worry that Joey was interested in her. She hoped he didn't cotton on.

"Well, have a nice time," he said, handing the hamper over.

"Thanks," Charlie said, accepting it and exiting.

* * *

Joey beamed at Charlie when she saw her approaching the wharf with the food. She already had the keys to Alf's boat and was ready to set sail. They avoided physical contact until they were away from the shore but as soon as they felt they were safely away from prying eyes, they were in each other's arms.

"How are you after last night?" Charlie asked.

"Fine," Joey said.

She'd worked in bars and clubs for long enough to be able to recover quickly from brawls.

"Are you sure? You don't need that TLC we discussed?"

Joey grinned.

"Actually, I'm feeling a little faint."

She continued to steer while Charlie wrapped herself around her, kissing her neck and caressing her hips, allowing her hands to slip up underneath Joey's t-shirt to stroke her stomach. Joey leaned back into her, thrilled to be in her embrace.

* * *

They docked in the middle of nowhere with the ocean as far on every side as they could see, eating their picnic.

"This is nice," Charlie said, leaning back on one elbow. "It feels…"

"Normal?" Joey asked.

"Almost."

Joey smiled. It was sad that they had to go so far away to be together but as she'd said to Charlie the day before, she was willing to do anything to be with her. From the first moment she'd laid eyes on her, she'd known she was special. Charlie fed her a grape. Joey kissed her index finger.

"What do you think of Watson?" Charlie asked.

Joey looked puzzled by the random change of subject.

"She's nice. Why?"

"I think she likes you, that's all. I had no idea she was gay."

"Are you blind?" Joey laughed.

Charlie pouted.

"Do I have competition?" she asked.

"As if!" Joey laughed.

She reached out to hold Charlie's hand.

"I was curious the other night about why you wanted her to walk me home though. I thought maybe you were putting me off you by trying to push me and her together."

"I had no clue about her," Charlie insisted. "I was too busy getting in the way of you and Angelo."

Joey giggled.

"Not that you were feeling possessive."

"Not at all."

They kissed gently in the sunshine.

"Ruby wants to meet you," Charlie told her.

"Ruby, as in your sister?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"Meet the family already?"

"Just as a friend though."

"I know. Don't panic."

Charlie looked embarrassed. Joey stroked her face tenderly.

"Sometimes I wish I could be like you, Joey," Charlie admitted.

"Like me?"

Joey was utterly confused. Charlie was the kind of woman to be looked up to. She was beautiful, strong and successful. She was confident, capable and sexy. How on earth could she want to be like Joey?

"I'm just not comfortable with the side of myself that likes… that likes…"

"Boobies?" Joey laughed.

Charlie snorted.

"That's not quite where I was going," she said.

"Further south from there?" Joey asked, her eyes wide.

"Can you ever have a serious conversation?" Charlie wondered.

Joey leaned closer and looked into Charlie's eyes.

"Charlie, I know you're afraid," she said. "And I'm not going to push you. Obviously, in an ideal world we'd be together, open and honest. But Summer Bay isn't utopia, despite what it says on the brochure. I hear they've had stalkers and everything here! I know what it's like not to be accepted for who you are and I know what it's like to be afraid of not being accepted for who you are. But basically, if I get to kiss you sometimes and make love to you; if I get to hold your hand and make you laugh; if I get to be your friend or whatever you want to class me as then I'm happy, even if I can only do those things in secret."

Charlie closed the gap between them, capturing Joey's lips with her own. She hadn't quite realised how strongly Joey felt about her before. And now, in the moment, she realised how strongly she felt about Joey too. Their relationship had begun as largely sexual but their emotional connection was becoming deeper by the minute. She kissed Joey harder and eased her onto her back. She stopped, pulled back ever so slightly and looked into her eyes.

"You've turned my world upside down," she breathed. "Nobody has ever made me feel this way before. I think I started falling for you three years ago, Joey."

Joey pulled her back for another kiss.

* * *

It felt very strange to be lying naked outside in the sunshine and yet Joey was strangely comfortable. She and Charlie were still on the deck of the boat, in each other's arms. She traced patterns over Charlie's flawless skin, taking a little more time over her favourite parts.

"How did you get to be so perfect?" Joey asked.

Charlie chuckled and let her own hands wander.

"I'm serious," Joey said. "You're amazing. Your hair's so soft."

She ran her fingers through it.

"You have beautiful eyes and perfect lips."

She kissed her mouth.

"I love your neck and your shoulders."

She kissed them both repeatedly.

"And your arms."

She trailed her fingers down each arm.

"Your breasts are to die for."

She gave them a lot of attention with her hands and her mouth.

"And you have the most perfect stomach."

She kissed it.

"And I've never had much of an interest in legs before but you've swayed me."

She traced kisses up and down Charlie's thighs.

"And, well…"

She settled herself between Charlie's legs and their afternoon activities began all over again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Charlie and Joey returned the boat keys to Alf and were back at Charlie's house by dinner time. Joey was a little nervous as Charlie had said it was likely that Ruby would home and that she would want to get to know her. Just before they got close to the house, Charlie stopped and turned to Joey.

"Hey," she said awkwardly. "You won't let on to Ruby that there's anything going on between us, will you?"

Joey saw the panic in her eyes.

"No, Charlie, I swear I won't tell her or anyone that you and I spent the entire afternoon in the throes of passion in the middle of the ocean."

Charlie blushed.

"Yeah, no sentences like that!" she warned playfully. "Or pretty much half the stuff you come out with! You know, just don't talk."

"Well, what would I occupy my mouth with?" Joey asked innocently.

Charlie shook her head and started walking to the house. Joey trotted along beside her, promising to be good, for the most part.

* * *

"Hey, Charlie," Ruby greeted, when her sister arrived in the kitchen. "What did you get up to all day?"

"We went sailing," Charlie told her.

"We?"

Ruby turned round from where she had been rummaging around in the fridge.

"Ruby, this is my friend Joey," Charlie said.

Ruby smiled at the new girl and closed the fridge. Joey waved shyly.

"You're the girl from the city that I've heard so much about," Ruby concluded. "Not from Charlie, I might add. She's hardly been around these past few days. I never thought I'd be grateful for Colleen's daily announcements."

Charlie and Joey exchanged worried looks.

"What's Colleen been hollering about now?" Charlie asked, hoping her voice didn't reveal her anxiety.

She pulled out a kitchen chair for Joey and then sat down beside her.

"Oh, just that Joey's started working at the Surf Club, Angelo thinks she's hot and you two knew each other years ago."

She sat down with them.

"That's about the gist of it," Joey said.

"Oh and that Angelo's not your bag," Ruby added.

Charlie tensed. Joey laughed. Charlie's little sister was obviously a lot more relaxed about this kind of thing than Charlie was!

"So, tell me about 'outside of the house, running wild in the city in her first year of training' Charlie," Ruby encouraged.

"No!" Charlie interjected.

Joey laughed.

"I'd love to but she'd probably arrest me or something," Joey replied. "I'm not sure how I'd feel about a night in cuffs."

She watched Charlie bite down on her lip and focussed on keeping a straight face. Ruby looked dissatisfied. They were referring to one of the only times in her life that Charlie hadn't been around so much, hadn't been at her beck and call. She'd been distant and it always seemed like she had a lot on her mind whenever they saw her and tension between her and their father had only got worse, even though she was following in his footsteps and training to be a police officer.

"Oh well, maybe I'll get something out of you later. She pretty much disappeared on us back then," Ruby frowned.

"I did not!" Charlie protested.

"You so did! You were off in la-la-land," Ruby insisted. "I swear there was a guy. Joey, was there a guy?"

"I don't recall there being a guy," Joey said firmly.

Charlie refused to allow Joey to catch her eye.

"Anyway," she said, desperate to change the subject. "How was school?"

"Fine. So, Joey, how are settling into the Bay?"

Charlie sighed. Her little sister was intent on an interrogation.

"Yeah, it's nice. Work's good, I love being by the sea, the people are nice, it's great to have bumped into Charlie again after so long."

"So, you guys were close before?" Ruby asked, latching onto their past again.

"Um…" Charlie faltered.

"Not really. I served her drinks, made her laugh. Nothing terribly special," Joey said, covering Charlie's awkwardness.

She hated lying, especially as she wanted to shout about her feelings for Charlie from the rooftops. And she liked Ruby, who seemed so genuine. Dishonesty made her feel uncomfortable.

"Anyway, Joey, do you want to stay for dinner?" Charlie asked brightly, knowing exactly how Joey felt about the situation.

"I'd love to," Joey said, pleased to be invited.

* * *

"Wow, so you just travel all over the country?" Ruby asked.

She, Charlie and Joey were seated round the dinner table tucking into the meal that Charlie had prepared for them. Joey shrugged.  
"Pretty much," she said.

"Don't you miss your family?"

"I don't have anyone to miss," Joey said quickly.

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's fine. I'm over it. So, yeah, I'm pretty much a drifter," the new girl said cheerfully.

Ruby smiled, happy that she hadn't offended her.

"So, do you think you'll stay here for long?" Charlie asked.

Joey looked into her eyes.

"Depends if I've got something to stay for," she replied seriously.

They smiled briefly at each other and continued eating.

"So, how come you move so much?" Ruby asked.

"Various reasons. I get my heart broken, I get myself into a tricky situation, I get bored…"

"Something tells me your life doesn't get boring very often," Charlie commented.

"Okay, it's mostly the first two," Joey admitted.

"So, tricky situations, huh? Do I need to do a background check on you?"

"I'm clean!" Joey insisted, holding her hands up. "Mostly. There were a couple of murders and a bank robbery but I don't like to talk about those."

Charlie snorted and Ruby grinned.

"Your secret's safe with us," Ruby assured her.

* * *

Charlie and Joey did the dishes while Ruby watched television. Joey had resisted for five long minutes but finally she couldn't cope any longer. She crept up behind Charlie and kissed her neck. Charlie tipped her head back and enjoyed the tenderness of Joey's lips. She accepted the arms that slipped round her waist and grinned as Joey's finger slipped up and under her top and journeyed towards her chest. Suddenly realising where she was and that her little sister was in the next room, Charlie gripped Joey's wrist, brought it back down and turned around.

"Not here," she said quietly.

"Then where?" Joey asked.

"Tonight."

"And how exactly do you expect us to spend the night together?" Joey wanted to know.

Charlie sighed. They both knew that if Joey stayed over, obvious questions would be asked. And if Charlie slept at Joey's, Ruby would want to know where she was and why. Joey raised her eyebrows.

"Well, if I sneaked you in…"

"Why have I got images of creeping in and out of your window?" Joey sighed.

"Not in and out of my window… just, maybe we can be creative about the time we tell people you've gone home. And we could find ways for you to leave without being seen."

"Something tells me I'm not going to get bored here very quickly."

They kissed quickly and then returned to their dishes.

* * *

"Well, I'm going to bed," Ruby said, hauling herself up from the couch. "It was great to meet you Joey."

"And you, Ruby," Joey replied. "Sleep well."

"See you in the morning," Charlie said.

The moment they heard her feet on the stairs, the girls were in each other's arms. Joey felt like it had been days, rather than hours since they had been together. Charlie's lips were hot against her mouth. They bordered on clumsy as they pressed against each other, fumbling with each other's clothes.

"We… should…" Charlie managed between kisses. "Go to my room."

"Mmm," Joey managed in agreement.

Still kissing, they rose from the couch and stumbled across the lounge.

* * *

Inside the bedroom, Joey kicked the door closed behind her, and gently pushed Charlie onto the bed. Their lips never parted. Suddenly, Joey stopped and looked around.

"Nice room," she said.

"You can compliment my bedroom later," Charlie breathed, pulling her down for another kiss.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Charlie woke in a state of bliss. She felt warm and happy, entwined with Joey's beautiful body. She gazed into her face. Her eyes were still closed and she looked so peaceful. Charlie decided that she wanted to wake up this way every single morning, although she was aware that for this to be practical, she'd need to make a drastic amount of changes in her life. Joey may be claiming to be smitten, but Charlie still wasn't sure how long she'd be willing to sneak around for the pure and simple reason that Charlie was embarrassed of being labelled a lesbian. Charlie continued to look longingly at her lover, a smile playing on her lips. Life had been a whirlwind since Joey Collins had arrived in town but Charlie couldn't seem to mind. Just like she had three years ago and just like she had eighteen months ago, Joey had captured Charlie's heart in a matter of moments. She was intoxicating. There was just something about her that made Charlie want to abandon all her responsibilities and run off into the night. She carefully leant down and placed a very gentle kiss on Joey's perfect lips, hoping not to wake her. Just as she was pulling away, she felt Joey's lips curl into a smile and her hand slip out from beneath the covers to bring her head back down. They kissed for longer.

"That is one of the best good mornings I have ever had," Joey said sleepily.

Charlie cuddled her closer beneath the duvet.

"I was thinking something pretty similar myself," Charlie replied.

When they pulled back, Joey studied Charlie curiously. She observed her features and the way her long hair fell around her beautiful face.

"What?" Charlie asked.

"So, you're pretty much perfect and beautiful all the time, huh?" Joey said.

Charlie blushed.

"Especially when you blush."

Charlie blushed more. Joey ran her fingers through Charlie's hair, along her shoulders, across her collar bone and towards her breasts. She was just reaching her goal when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Charlie!" Ruby yelled. "Are you up?"

Both women froze and stared at each other.

"Charlie?"

"In there!" Charlie hissed, pointing to the wardrobe.

Joey leapt out of bed and hurried to the closet while Charlie jumped up and shoved their clothes, which were strewn across the room, in there too.

"Do I have time to point out the irony of you shoving me in a closet?" Joey asked, as Charlie fumbled with the doors.

"No!" Charlie said, kissing her quickly and diving back under the duvet.

"Charlie? Okay, I'm coming in!" Ruby yelled, pushing the bedroom door open.

Charlie attempted to regulate her breathing as her sister appeared in the room.

"Hey, are you still in bed?" she asked.

"Obviously," Charlie said.

"You're normally up so early."

"Joey stayed pretty late last night so I thought I'd have a lie in. What can I do for you, Rubes?"

Her heart was racing as she suddenly panicked about Ruby wanting to borrow her clothes.

"I wanted to borrow your red top."

"No!" Charlie said excessively loudly.

"I won't hurt it, Charles," Ruby said, surprised by the outburst.

"I… I don't even know if it's clean."

"Well, I'll just have a look…"

Ruby walked over to the wardrobe.

"No, wait… Look, I've just got up, I'm not wearing anything. Could you just give me a minute to sort myself out and I'll find it for you and bring it out?" Charlie asked, hoping she sounded pathetic enough for Ruby to move on.

"Okay," Ruby sighed. "But I'm meeting Annie in an hour so don't be long, okay?"

Charlie nodded and Ruby left.

"Can I come out now?" came a very meek voice from the wardrobe.

Charlie chuckled and climbed out of bed, rescuing a pouting Joey, who was holding up what she suspected was the red top that Ruby was so eager to borrow.

"Thanks," Charlie said.

"So, do I have to hide out here until everyone's gone?" she asked.

"I'm not working until the afternoon so once I've dealt with Ruby, I'm all yours again."

"Then put some clothes on and deal… quickly!" Joey urged. "I'll wait for you."

* * *

Charlie arrived back in the bedroom after a prolonged fifteen minutes with a cup of coffee.

"I'm afraid we have to share," she said awkwardly. "Or else I would have drawn attention to myself."

Joey laughed.

"I'm more interested in you than the coffee," she admitted.

Charlie smiled, setting the cup on the bedside table, shrugging off her robe and crawling back into bed.

"So, what are you doing today, Joey?" Charlie asked.

"I'm free all day and then working this evening," she replied.

"Maybe I'll come and visit you when I knock off."

"That would be delightfully distracting."

They kissed. Joey leaned Charlie back against the pillows, trailing kisses down her jaw, neck and collar bone. Charlie rolled them back over, determined to gain control. Joey giggled.

"Fine! I'm at your mercy!" she relented.

"Music to my ears," Charlie murmured.

She kissed her passionately, letting both hands wander down to Joey's breasts, teasing them in preparation for her mouth. She took her time exploring each part of Joey that took her fancy, enjoying the thrills that went through both of them the deeper things developed. She loved learning new things about her body and the things she enjoyed. She loved being responsible for making her happy. And she wanted to continue making her happy forever.

Charlie emerged from the duvet feeling a little dizzy, breathless and somewhat tired. She flopped down on the pillow and welcomed Joey into her arms as she too recovered from their love-making session. Charlie closed her mind to the fact that time was getting on and she needed to get up and showered, ready for work. She never wanted to leave the room.

"That was amazing," Joey breathed into Charlie's shoulder.

Charlie kissed the top of Joey's head.

"You're amazing," she said.

"I think we're pretty amazing together," Joey grinned.

"I think we are too. I'm so happy you came back into my life, Joey."

"I'm happy too. This is the best move I ever made."

"What did make you come here?" Charlie asked.

"I told you. Summer Bay had a pretty name."

"But why did you leave where you were before?"

"There was an… incident," Joey said. "I'd rather not talk about it."

She snuggled more tightly against Charlie and hoped she wouldn't press the issue.

"The murders or the bank robbery?" Charlie asked, recalling the conversation from the night before.

Joey reached over and idly began teasing Charlie's chest, making her skin tingle.

"The robbery," she said, playing along. "I'm hoping that sleeping with a cop will keep me out of trouble."

"Nice try!" Charlie chuckled.

Joey stopped her circular motions and felt suddenly serious. She looked up at Charlie.

"There was a whole harassment thing going on," she admitted.

"Harassment?" Charlie asked.

"Some woman… she wasn't interested in taking no for an answer," Joey told her. "She kept following me and calling me, sitting outside my house, stuff like that. It all got a bit intense so I bailed."

"Sounds horrible," Charlie sympathised.

"I know I should have stuck it out…"

"Not you! Her! You dope."

Joey stuck her tongue out.

"Is that an invitation?" Charlie asked.

* * *

Three days later, Joey was on top of the world. She felt like she had fallen on her feet by coming to Summer Bay. She'd secured a job that she could do in her sleep. Alf Stewart was a good and friendly boss and the locals kept her entertained. She was starting to build some friendships already and Charlie was the best thing that had ever happened to her. It may be a secret but she had the hottest, funniest, sweetest and most loving girlfriend in the world. They had seen each other every day since they first got together and while it involved a lot of sneaking around, Joey wouldn't have changed a second of it. She wasn't used to covert operations but she had to admit that it was actually making things even more exciting that it might otherwise have been, if that was possible.

She smiled when Charlie entered the Diner and made her way over to the table. They touched hands briefly across the table top and then drew away. It was hard to be together in public, not being able to be as natural with one another as they would like but Joey was happy to take what she could get. They chose their lunch orders and Charlie went up to the counter, parting with a smile. She stopped smiling when she realised that Roman was going to be serving her. She felt awkward, but not for the reason he and other people would assume. Charlie had hardly even thought about him since they'd split up and she felt like a terrible person for it.

Roman had been the first friend she'd made when she'd arrived in the Bay. He'd been kind to her and he was attractive and gentle. She had genuinely cared for him. Everything she had felt and everything she had said had been real but now, it was over and she'd recovered abnormally quickly. Now, all that was in her head was Joey. Joey had healed her hurt and overrode the pain of losing Roman with the joy of gaining her. But because it was a secret, Charlie wasn't sure how she should act, how she should explain that everything could be normal between her and her ex and that she wasn't devastated – or if indeed she should explain.

"Hi," Roman said.

"Hey," Charlie replied.

"How are you? I've hardly seen you since…"

"Yeah, I'm pretty good. I've been pretty busy with work and…"

"Joey."

Charlie blushed and began to fret internally, wondering if he had somehow found her out.

"It's just I don't see you often but every time I do see you, you're with her," Roman explained.

"She's been a good friend," Charlie said.

Roman nodded

"How have you been?" Charlie asked, not wanting to be the focus of the attention anymore.

"Fine. I've been fine. Working. And you know I always have my work cut out for me with Nicole."

"Oh, I know that one!" Charlie laughed.

"So, what can I get you?"

Charlie placed her order and headed back to Joey, who was eyeing her intently.

"You okay?" Charlie asked, sitting down opposite her again.

"Yeah. Are you?"

She jerked her head in Roman's direction.

"Oh, yeah, fine. Just exchanging pleasantries," Charlie said. "It's weird but the only reason I feel awkward around him is because I don't miss him and I feel like I should."

Joey smiled in relief. Her single concern in their entire relationship had been that Charlie was using her to rebound from the man she really loved but Charlie's casual mention of not missing Roman felt like confirmation that Charlie was really in this for keeps. As if reading her mind, Charlie opted to ignore the fact that they were in public and reached out to hold her hand. She gazed into Joey's eyes.

"You didn't think…?" she asked.

"No," Joey lied.

"Everything I've said and done with you is real, Joey," Charlie said. "I swear it."

Joey smiled.

"I know," Joey said. "I know that. I guess sometimes I just can't help but wonder why on earth someone like you would pick me."

"Because you take my breath away."

Charlie let go of Joey's hand and smiled up at Belle as she came to bring their drinks over.


	12. Chapter 12

****

Chapter Twelve

Joey sat on the couch in the Surf Club with Angelo and Watson. They had been drinking in the bar when she'd finished her shift and invited her to join them and so far she was having a nice time.

"So, can you tell us any naughty secrets about our Senior Constable?" Angelo asked.

"Angelo!" Watson protested, although she couldn't help but be interested in the answer too.

_So many_, Joey thought to herself.

"She's far too innocent to have naughty secrets," Joey said aloud.

"Yeah, right!" Angelo laughed. "She is so hot. I wouldn't mind creating some naughty secrets with her. Seriously… she is so very hot."

"She's also so very behind you," Joey pointed out.

Angelo whipped his head round. Seeing nobody there, he turned back and glared at Joey.

"Tease."

Joey and Watson both laughed.

"Sorry. I can't help it. It's a natural urge."

"Oh really? Well, I wouldn't mind some of that too," Angelo grinned.

"Do you ever give up?" Joey asked. "Watson's more my type than you are, sweetheart."

Watson tried not to perk up too quickly. She also tried not to spill her beer.

"And Watson, would Joey be your type?" Angelo asked.

He'd been curious about her since their very first meeting.

"Um, uh… well… um…"

"Angelo, you can't just ask a girl something like that," Joey scolded, letting Watson off the hook.

Watson shot her a grateful smile.

"Hey, do you think Charlie would ever be into that kind of thing?" Angelo wondered.

"Charlie's straight," Joey said a little too firmly.

"Speaking from experience of a knock-back, are we?"

Joey took a second to decide whether to be offended or remain jolly.

"Well, you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" she said casually. "She is stunning."

Joey had never liked conflict.

"That she is," Angelo agreed.

"Yep," added Watson.

"What are we all agreeing over?" Charlie asked, approaching their corner.

"Nothing!" all three said in unison.

Charlie looked a little bemused and seated herself beside Angelo and opposite Joey.

"Would you like a drink?" Joey asked.

"I'd love one. Thanks," Charlie said gratefully.

Every time she saw her, Charlie was touched by Joey's sweetness. Joey stood and headed to the bar.

"So, what were you guys talking about?"

"Lesbianism," Watson said. "Again."

"I should have known. Angelo's here."

Angelo attempted to look offended.

"I am purely interested in a world that I'm not a part of. It's about sharing cultures and experiences, understanding someone different to me. And figuring out if more than one girl at this table is in the club."

Charlie froze.

"Fine!" Watson sighed. "Yes, I'm a fully paid up member."

Angelo grinned. He'd known she would crack eventually.

"And Joey told us that you're straight," Angelo added, turning to Charlie. "I mean, if you turned _her_ down, you must be!"

"She told you I turned her down?" Charlie asked.

Joey felt her heart leap into her throat when she returned to the table. She'd have a lot of explaining to do later.

"So, how was your shift?" Joey asked, changing the subject completely.

"Not as interesting as your drinks apparently," Charlie said, making significant eye contact.

Joey shot her an apologetic look, aware that Charlie looked uncomfortable.

* * *

Half an hour later, Charlie was in the bathroom and Angelo was at the bar getting more drinks. Joey was tempted to follow Charlie. She hated the tension between them as Charlie obviously tried to work out what had been said about her and if it was incriminating or not. Finally deciding to get up ad follow, she started to get out of her seat when Watson's nervous voice stopped her.

"So, um, Joey?" she began.

Joey sat back down and looked at her.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to catch a movie with me or something sometime?"

Joey was a little taken aback, unsure of exactly how to respond. She was flattered but she knew the answer had to be 'no'.

"Oh, um… well, um… maybe a group of us could go?" Joey suggested.

Watson looked crestfallen. Joey felt terrible. Charlie came back from the bathroom and sensed the tension.

"I think I'm going to head home," Watson said, standing up.

"You don't have to go," Joey called unhappily.

Watson hurried past Angelo who was returning to the table with their drinks.

"You know, I think I'm going to go too," Charlie said.

"I'll walk you home," Joey offered, leaping to her feet.

"You really don't have to," Charlie said coldly.

Joey followed her anyway.

"I just bought four beers!" Angelo complained.

* * *

"Charlie! Would you wait?" Joey called, as she tried to catch up with her girlfriend who was storming ahead of her.

Finally, Charlie spun around and faced her.

"What the hell were you telling them about me?" she demanded.

"That you were straight!" Joey insisted.

Charlie searched Joey's face, battling with her own paranoia.

"But I said it a little too quickly and Angelo started asking questions. I had to think on my feet so I said something dumb about hitting on you and you turning me down. That was it. It was nothing. I swear," Joey said.

She reached for Charlie's hands.

"Charlie, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Do you really think I'd stuff it up over drinks in a bar with your colleagues?"

"I just… panicked," Charlie said.

"I know. I know how fragile this is. I've been on edge all evening because I knew how you were feeling and there was nothing I could do about it. It honestly did start as me trying to protect you, Charlie," Joey said gently.

Charlie nodded. She squeezed Joey's hands and tugged her into starting walking.

"So, are we okay?" Joey asked meekly.

"We're perfect," Charlie said.

Joey sighed with relief and leant against Charlie's shoulder. Charlie broke contact with Joey's hand and slipped her arm around her waist.

"What was up with Watson?" Charlie asked.

"She kind of asked me out," Joey said awkwardly.

Charlie stopped walking, broke contact and turned to face Joey.

"She what?"

"She wanted to go and see a movie with me."

"Like a date?"

Her voice was high pitched with jealousy.

"I think so."

"You said no, right?" Charlie demanded.

"No, I said yes and told her I'd bring her flowers," Joey said sarcastically.

Charlie looked unhappy but took hold of Joey's hand again and continued walking home.

"I can't believe she asked you out," Charlie muttered.

"I'm not that hideous," Joey sulked.

"No! I mean, I told her not to."

This time it was Joey's turn to stop walking.

"You told her not to?" Joey asked.

"Well, I didn't want anyone trying to steal you away from me," Charlie said defensively, pulling her back into motion again.

"And what was your reasoning when you warned her away?" Joey wanted to know.

"That you were complicated," Charlie replied quietly.

"Ha! I'm complicated. Pot, kettle, anyone?"

"Yeah, okay!" Charlie wailed. "I'm complicated and high maintenance. I know and I'm sorry. But I love you so please forgive me."

They both froze. Joey forced Charlie to look at her. While Joey had known that she had loved Charlie from first sight, neither of them had actually said the words yet.

"You um… you love me?" she asked.

"Maybe a little bit," Charlie said casually.

Joey smiled and blushed.

"I might love you a little bit too," she admitted.

"Just a little," Charlie teased.

"Maybe more than I know how to handle."

She grabbed Joey's hand and led her onto the beach. Finding a quiet spot in the dark, she kissed her passionately.

"I love you more than I could ever express in words, Joey," she said.

"I have other ideas on how you could express it," Joey giggled.

"Here?"

"Right here."

She nodded firmly. Charlie looked around to make sure nobody was nearby. When she turned back she found that Joey had unbuttoned her shirt and lain back against the sand. It was all the coercion she needed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Watson blanched when she saw Charlie the following morning at work. She had no doubt that Joey had explained to her what happened the night before and she felt terribly embarrassed. She had been in a relationship for five years and now, newly single, she had forgotten how to approach women. Her first attempt had been an utter failure. She couldn't bear to see Joey again and she felt awkward around Charlie too.

"Hi," Charlie greeted, as if nothing was different.

"Hi," Watson said. "Um, did you speak to Joey last night?"

Charlie's mind flashed back to all the other things she and Joey had got up to that night besides talking but she tried to focus on what she knew her colleague was likely to be referring to.

"Oh, yeah, she did."

Watson frowned.

"Listen, you don't need to feel embarrassed," Charlie said kindly. "She was so flattered. Joey just doesn't do the whole relationship thing."

Watson nodded.

"I didn't offend her or anything?" she checked.

"Oh, no, of course not and she really wants to be friends."

Watson almost felt relieved, although she still didn't know if she could face the girl again.

* * *

Joey arrived at Charlie's house and knocked on the door. They were planning on having lunch there together after Charlie finished her shift.

"Oh, hey, Joey," Ruby said brightly. "Charlie's not home yet."

"Oh. Should I come back?"

"No, come in and hang out. She won't be long. She said you were coming over for lunch."

Joey came in and perched on a chair, accepting when Ruby offered her a drink.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Ruby asked.

"Sure."

Ruby sat down, looking serious.

"How did you know you were gay?"

Joey was taken aback by the question.

"Just… I know someone. She hasn't talked to me about it or anything and I don't think she's gay but I wonder if she's impressionable, you know?"

"Impressionable?"

"Like, she's had a rough time with guys and might be led to believe that girls might be the answer?"

Ruby felt terrible talking to Joey about it but she didn't know what else to do about Charlie. She wasn't blind. She'd seen the way Charlie looked at Joey, the way her eyes followed her around the room. It wasn't right, especially as it seemed that Joey was harbouring feelings for Charlie too. But Joey's were genuine and Charlie's were misguided. Ruby felt the need to help, to stop the situation before it escalated too far. And she suspected this wasn't the first time. She hadn't been old enough to really comprehend the situation but she distinctly she remembered her father being convinced that Charlie was getting caught up in something similar once before. If Charlie was a lesbian, that would be fine, but she wasn't. She'd had plenty of boyfriends so she had to be heterosexual. She didn't want her to confuse admiration of another woman like Joey, who was easy to admire, for something more confusing.

"Ruby, I don't think it works like that. I mean, I could be as lonely or disillusioned as I wanted but I'd still never be with a guy because, well, that's just not who I am."

"But what if someone really admires someone else and they confuse that with wanting them… you know, sexually?"

"Then they'll figure it out pretty quickly. It's either working for you or it isn't."

"So, if a girl is attracted to another girl then that's it? They must be gay?"

Ruby started to fret.

"No, sexuality is more fluid than that," Joey explained. "The person you're talking about could be all manner of things – gay, bi… I don't know… somewhere in between maybe. She could just want this other person and nobody else. That's possible too."

Ruby sighed.

"I'm not much help, am I?"

"No, you are. I'm just worried about her."

"Who are you worried about?" Joey asked.

"Oh, just a friend from school," Ruby lied.

"Well, being a teenager is a pretty confusing time. A lot of people question themselves and everyone turns out differently."

Ruby sighed harder.

"I'm still not helping," Joey concluded.

"No, you are. I haven't thought about it that way before. I'm just so confused about what to do with her – whether to talk about it or not."

"If you find a time when you can talk about it, maybe she's desperate to share it with someone," Joey said. "Trying to figure out your sexuality can feel like the end of the world, especially doing it alone. I mean, this person you think your friend admires or likes? Does she know?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything. I could be jumping to conclusions."

She held her head in her hands.

"Your friend will be okay," Joey assured her. "She'll work it out. In the meantime, don't get stressed out about it. The most important thing you can do is let her know that you accept her and love her and want to be her friend, whatever she turns out to be."

"I can do that," Ruby said. "Well, thanks, Joey. I'm off to meet Annie and Jai."

She left just as Charlie was arriving home. They exchanged brief pleasantries on their way and then Charlie hurried in to see Joey.

"Hey, how was your shift?" Joey asked.

Charlie came and straddled Joey's lap and kissed her deeply.

"A necessary period of time until I got to see you again," Charlie said. "I think I might be addicted to you."

They kissed again.

"I think I can cope with that," Joey grinned. "Hey, I had an interesting conversation with your sister just now."

"Do you want to talk about my sister or do you want to make out?" Charlie asked.

Joey chose the latter.

* * *

"Tell me about your life, Joey," Charlie said thoughtfully.

They had eaten lunch, with a few distractions and gone for a walk along the beach. With their shoes off, they walked in the surf with the sand between their toes. They held hands discreetly. Joey cast a glance in her direction.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything you want to tell me."

Joey shrugged. She tended to compartmentalise her life and not really talk about things that had gone before. But then, it seemed that Charlie was changing most things about her. She didn't tend to get close to people but she'd completely let Charlie in, so perhaps she could open up a little about her history.

"Um, well, I was born and raised in fishing village, which is pretty much where I got my love of boats and the water from. And it's where I learned everything about sailing. I left as soon as I could. Then I travelled around a lot, as you know. I've worked various jobs – on boats, in bars, as a gardener and in the hotel, obviously. That's it, pretty much. I've never done anything terribly interesting. I just keep myself to myself."

"What about girlfriends?"

"A couple of whirlwind love affairs, minus the love part," Joey said vaguely. "A few casuals and stuff. But there's only been one special woman in my life."

"What was her name?"

Joey stopped.

"Charlie Buckton," Joey said with a giggle.

Charlie flushed and laughed too as they continued to walk.

"You said you didn't have any family," Charlie ventured.

"They're still in the little fishing village," Joey said sadly. "I don't see them. They won't see me."

Charlie stroked the back of Joey's hand with her thumb and waited for her to continue. Joey sighed heavily.

"They knew I was gay pretty early on. I never made a big announcement or anything but I didn't go out of my way to hide it. Then when I started seeing someone, well, I did try to hide it then, but even though they didn't know who it was, the tell-tale signs of a first, giddy romance were there. When the relationship ended and things were as difficult at home as they'd always been, I took off. I kept in touch and I went to visit and everything, endured the awkward family Christmases where my father would demand to know why I didn't have a boyfriend and wasn't thinking about settling down. And then one day, a few months before you and I met for the second time, Brett, my brother came storming into my apartment for a 'surprise visit'."

Joey sighed and looked out at the water. She wished she was allowed to show some affection towards Charlie but they were in public so hidden hand holding was all they could manage.

"Well, it was pretty early in the morning. I'm convinced he planned it that way. I was half undressed when I opened the door. I'd been seeing this girl, Kathryn for a month or so and she heard voices in the kitchen so she came to see who was there. She was also half undressed. Brett figured out exactly what was going on and lost the plot. We argued. It got physical. I'd like to call it a fight but really, he just beat the crap out of me. He screamed all sorts of obscenities. He scared the shit out of Kathryn who was frozen to the spot."

Charlie couldn't bear the image of Joey being beaten up.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He left and Kathryn took me to the hospital," Joey explained. "I had to stay in for a few days. Then…"

"You skipped town?"

"How did you guess?"

She offered a wry smile.

"I headed home to try and talk to my parents. Dad took Brett's side. Mum stayed quiet. She was never entitled to an opinion of her own but she crept outside as I was leaving and told me she loved me and that she was sorry she couldn't stand up for me. She gave me every penny in her purse, kissed me goodbye and that was the last time I saw any of them," Joey said sadly.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Charlie said.

She turned to hug her close and Joey relaxed in the comfort of her arms. Drawing away, she took a breath and kept on walking.

"I've never talked about it before," she admitted.

"Thank you for trusting me," Charlie said softly.

"I can't seem to help it."

They continued walking in silence.

"So, what about you?" Joey asked.

"What about me?"

"Tell me about your life."

"Born, raised, Mum, Dad, sister, became a cop, have a string of failed relationships behind me and could never quite admit to myself why, Mum died a few years ago, which was painful beyond measure, but finally I feel like life is starting to settle again."

"Were you close to your Mum?" Joey asked.

She remembered Charlie talking about her being sick the second time they had met. She remembered how hard it had been for her to accept the diagnosis.

"Yeah, she was so lovely. She was always proud of me and Ruby, no matter what we did. And she was so funny! Ruby gets her sense of humour from her. And there was such a contrast at home, you know? Mum was so warm and Dad… well, he wasn't around long enough to have a regular temperature. He was always so busy working. The force came first and the family came second. Or that's how it felt anyway," Charlie explained. "I always wanted to make him proud but I've never quite succeeded."

"I'm sure you have, Charlie," Joey said.

"I doubt it."

"Come on, you've followed in his footsteps. What father wouldn't be pleased with that? I mean, it can't have escaped his notice that you became a cop to impress him."

"Hey! I didn't… Okay, maybe I did."

Charlie frowned and Joey chuckled.

"You read me too well," Charlie complained.

"You don't normally mind," Joey pointed out.

Charlie laughed.

"So, what about this string of relationships?" Joey probed.

"Um… well, you remained pretty elusive about yours," Charlie reminded her.

"There wasn't much to tell," Joey said.

"Same here."

"Any long-termers?"

"I was with one guy for a year."

"What happened to him?"

"He cheated on me."

"Did he get diagnosed as clinically insane?"

Charlie smiled and fought the urge to reach across and kiss her. There were too many people milling about. Holding hands felt risqué enough.

"Well, his loss is my gain," Joey smiled.

"Okay, I can't bear being polite," Charlie declared. "Let's go somewhere private. I just really want to hold you right now."

* * *

Joey leaned against a smooth surface of a rock in a small cove they'd found further up the beach. Charlie snuggled up against her, running her fingers up and down her arms.

"This is nice," she said dreamily.

Joey murmured an agreement.

"I hate to think of you suffering the way you have, Joey," Charlie said shyly.

"It's no big deal."

"But he hurt you."

"It doesn't matter now," Joey said. "It's in the past."

"I'd still arrest him if I got the chance," Charlie grumbled. "And not very politely either."

Joey laughed.

"Big, strong cop protecting me," she grinned. "I feel special."

"You are special."

Charlie tilted her head up and kissed her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Ruby, if you think your sister has a thing for Joey, why don't you just ask her?" Jai asked.

The concept of two attractive women together had quickly worn off and now he was just exasperated that Ruby was so fretful.

"Well, what if I'm barking up the wrong tree? I don't want to look dumb."

"Ruby, we're camped out on the beach with binoculars, and you don't want to look dumb?" Jai pointed out.

Ruby put the binoculars down. Concerned about what was going on with Joey and Charlie, she'd dragged her friend down to the beach to see what the situation was.

"You really think I should just talk to her?" she asked.

"I really think you should. Spying on her can't lead anywhere good."

Ruby turned back to watch the women walking along the surf, still trying to figure out if they were holding hands or not.

"Ruby, if she tells you she's into Joey, then what are you going to do?" Jai asked.

Ruby turned back to her friend.

"I don't know. I mean, it might not even be real."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Joey's new in town; she's beautiful, cool and funny and mysterious. What if Charlie just has a crush or something? It could just be admiration taken too far. But then, Joey said in situations like that, you figure it out pretty quickly because you can admire someone and like someone a lot but still not be able to bring yourself to do anything with them," Ruby said.

"So, she's beautiful, cool, funny and mysterious, hey?" Jai teased. "Are you sure it's Charlie who has a crush on her?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ruby snapped.

She couldn't help but admire Joey a little bit but she also knew she was all about the boys. She turned back to the women on the beach but couldn't find them.

"Where did they go?" she wondered aloud.

* * *

Charlie and Joey stayed in the cove for longer than they planned. They watched the sun begin to set across the water. Charlie reached out and began to play idly with Joey's fingers.

"I think lying in your arms, right here, watching the sunset, ranks as my favourite place in the world," she said softly.

Joey smiled.

"Mine too. This feels like heaven."

Charlie tilted her head upwards and Joey rewarded her with a kiss.

"So, what happened to Kathryn?" Charlie asked after several minutes of silence.

"Kathryn?"

"The girlfriend you had before you worked at the hotel," Charlie reminded her.

"Oh, I don't know. We didn't keep in touch. It wasn't serious anyway."

"Has there ever been anyone serious?"

"Aside from you, you mean?" Joey asked.

"Yeah."

"Not really. I mean, I guess some have been more significant than others," Joey said. "Some have had more of an impact on my life. Why so curious?"

"I've just realised how little I know about you," Charlie told her.

"You know more about me than anyone else does," Joey confirmed.

"Really?"

"You're the first person I've ever really trusted with my… stuff."

Charlie felt touched and suddenly very lucky to have had the friends and family she did. It seemed like Joey had pretty much lived by herself thus far.

"So, who was your first?" Joey asked.

She grinned playfully at Charlie who blushed.

"My first what?" Charlie asked innocently.

Joey didn't even dignify the question with an answer.

"Martin Robinson," Charlie said dreamily. "He was a really close friend in high school and we decided to 'practice' together. He turned out gay and I've turned out… well, look at me. We were seventeen and convinced that we were streaks behind the rest of our classmates. And you?"

"I was seventeen. She was beautiful, blonde and very charming."

"And what was her name?"

"Mrs Claudia Stevenson."

"Mrs?"

"She was my Geography teacher," Joey admitted.

"Joey!"

"She taught me more about biology than geography though."

Charlie laughed.

"You really slept with your teacher?"

"She seduced me!" Joey insisted. "It was awesome!"

Charlie slapped her playfully on the arm.

"Someone could write a pretty sassy biography about you," she commented.

"You're the best part of my story," Joey said sincerely.

* * *

Charlie and Joey arrived home, giggling.

"Hey, Ruby," Charlie greeted.

"Hi," Joey said.

"Hey guys. What have you been up to?"

She was sitting tensely on the sofa, waiting for Charlie and trying to decide whether she would talk to her or not. Joey's presence made it somewhat harder.

"We've been down at the beach most of the day," Joey said cheerfully, making herself at home on the couch.

Charlie sat beside her, feeling suddenly drained of energy. She stretched back against the cushions and closed her eyes. Both Ruby and Joey peered at her.

"I think I broke her," Joey said unhappily.

She poked Charlie in the side. It made her laugh.

"Nope, she still works."

Ruby giggled.

"I'm feeling sleepy," Charlie said.

Joey held back an urge to cuddle her. She looked so adorable stretched out beside her. She wished with all her heart, not for the first time, that Charlie could get over her fear of coming out. Then everything would be perfect. She made a mental note to remember to tell Charlie about the conversation she and Ruby had had. Judging by that, she really didn't think that Charlie's little sister would have a problem with them. She didn't seem to object to her potentially gay friend. Then half the battle was done. The biggest hurdle after Ruby would be their father, who may pose a bigger problem, not that she knew a whole lot about him. And then they just had to hope the rest of the town would be fine with them. But Joey was out in Summer Bay and she hadn't had any problems so far so she had full optimism that it wouldn't be such a big deal.

"I made soup for dinner… I'm not convinced about how it turned out but there's some left over if you guys want me to warm it up for you," Ruby offered.

Cooking wasn't her strength but she tried.

"That would be amazing. Thank you!"

Ruby trotted into the kitchen.

"If you're sleepy, do you want me to go?" Joey asked.

"No, I'll wake up any minute now."

With that, she shuffled down and rested her head in Joey's lap. Joey stroked Charlie's hair.

"Aren't you worried…?" Joey ventured.

"I'm too tired to be worried," Charlie sighed, keeping her eyes closed.

Joey stopped stroking when Ruby came in and looked up helplessly at her girlfriend's little sister who was holding a tray.

"Charlie," Joey coaxed.

Charlie blinked and sat up slowly, accepting her dinner. Ruby hurried out and brought Joey her dinner also, observing their closeness and trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Perhaps now was the time to ask. Charlie was her best friend in the whole world and Joey was cool and approachable.

"This is lovely," Joey enthused.

"Oh, thanks. I'm not a very good cook but I do try."

"She's very trying," Charlie grinned.

"Someone's awake!" Ruby growled.

"It is lovely," Charlie said more kindly.

"So, Joey, thanks for taking care of post-Roman, Charlie," Ruby ventured, testing the water to see if she could find a way in.

Charlie looked up sharply.

"It's normally my job. She doesn't handle break-ups well."

Joey worried suddenly that Ruby felt she was stealing Charlie's time. She didn't want to get in the way of sibling relationships.

"But I've been really busy and our schedules haven't really clicked, have they?" Ruby added.

Joey felt a little more relaxed. Charlie shook her head.

"No, we need to make sure we spend more time together," Charlie confirmed. "And hey! I handle break-ups just fine."

"Don't lie," Ruby said, smiling to say she was playing.

"She's been very well behaved," Joey assured her. "And she has handled her post-Roman recovery with vast amounts of dignity."

"Thank you!"

Charlie beamed proudly.

"So, Charlie, have you spotted anyone else on the horizon?" Ruby asked.

"Um, no, I'm just… I'm happy hanging out with Joey," Charlie replied, focussing on her soup.

Joey looked between the two sisters and sighed quietly. Charlie had just passed up an opportunity to talk to Ruby about them. She tried not to feel sad about it and chose to focus on her soup also.

* * *

As soon as Ruby had gone to bed, Charlie said a loud goodbye to Joey and then dragged her quietly into her bedroom. Standing in the middle of the floor, Charlie pulled her close and kissed her. They kissed for a long time, just holding each other close.

"Hey, I know you're tired," Joey said gently. "So if you want me to go…"

"I don't want you to go," Charlie said. "But I might only be up for cuddling."

Joey held her tightly and kissed her again.

"Cuddling sounds just wonderful to me."

Charlie moved to sit on the edge of the bed and kicked her shoes and socks off. She stretched up and pulled her t-shirt off and then reached round to unhook her bra.

"I'll help!" Joey said, hurrying in front of her and sinking to her knees.

Grinning she reached round and undid the straps, taking delicate care to take the garment off.

"What happened to cuddling?" Charlie asked, as Joey massaged her breasts.

"I am cuddling," Joey said. "I'm just cuddling specific parts of you."

Charlie laughed and happily let her continue.

"Mmm… I'm cursing my own exhaustion."

Joey pulled away, promising to be good. She let Charlie get changed and stripped her own clothes.

"Hey, do you have a t-shirt or something I can wear?" she asked.

"Nope," Charlie replied, gazing at her lover's body.

"Hey, no fair," Joey complained.

Charlie opened a drawer and tossed an oversized t-shirt at Joey who threw it on, and climbed into bed. Charlie met her in the middle and they settled into an embrace.

"Sorry that I'm not fit and able," Charlie said.

She didn't want to let Joey down or give her any reason not to want to be with her. So far in their relationship, they had been all over each other. Snuggling felt nice. It felt comfortable. But she worried about Joey getting bored.

"Don't be ridiculous," Joey said. "I love just being with you, regardless of what we're doing."

They kissed. A loud knock on the door interrupted them.

"Charlie? Are you still up?"

Ruby sounded fretful.

"I really need to talk to you about something."

Charlie and Joey exchanged glances. Charlie saw the door handle begin to turn.

"Under the bed."

She shoved Joey out of her arms as she scrambled towards the edge of the bed.

"Ow!" Joey protested as she landed a little too quickly on the floor than she had intended.

"Sorry!" Charlie whispered.

Her fright at Ruby catching them had made her movements a little too vigorous but she didn't have time to make sure she hadn't hurt her. Joey dived under the bed just in time. Ruby burst into the room.

"Charlie?" she said.

Charlie tried to smile casually.

"Why didn't you answer when I knocked?"

"Sorry, I was just dropping off."

Ruby perched on the edge of the bed.

"Charlie, I really need to talk to you."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Charlie asked.

"I'm fine. Are you?"

"Me? I'm fine. Why?"

"I'm worried about you. And Joey."

"Me and…? Can we talk about this in the morning?" Charlie asked, very aware that the other person they were discussing was hiding under the bed.

"Charlie, are you gay?"

"No!"

"Or bisexual? Or confused? Or something? Anything like that?"

"No," Charlie said, hating herself for lying.

Panic rose within her like vomit. She swallowed hard.

"Do you have feelings for Joey?" Ruby asked, undeterred.

"She's my friend," Charlie said weakly.

"Because it just… it seems like more than that."

"It's not. I like guys. I always have. You know that."

Ruby sighed. She didn't believe her. Charlie looked too frightened and caught out to be telling the truth.

"Well, if anything like that is true, you know I'm here for you, don't you? You don't have to be afraid of a bad reaction or anything. At first I thought you were just confused because Joey's cool and everything and you were maybe confusing admiration for romance but Joey didn't seem to think it worked that way."

"You talked to Joey about this?" Charlie asked, feeling angry.

"Kind of. She thought I was talking about someone else," Ruby said.

Charlie felt her anger subside. Maybe Joey hadn't betrayed her after all.

"So, do you like her?"

"I'm not gay," Charlie insisted. "I'm just hanging out with a female friend to help me get over Roman. And she just happens to be gay. That's all there is to it."

She hated herself for lying to Ruby, lying to herself and hurting Joey who could no doubt hear every word.

"Okay," Ruby said, although she wasn't completely satisfied.

She leant over to hug her.

"I love you, sis."

"I love you too."

Ruby left the room. Charlie fell back against the pillows, tears immediately creeping out of her tightly shut eyes. She heard Joey crawl out from under the bed. She opened her eyes when she didn't immediately feel her climb back onto the bed.

"What are you doing?" Charlie asked.

"What does it look like?" Joey replied coldly.

She stripped out of the t-shirt Charlie had given her and hurled it onto the bed, furiously rummaging around for her clothes, fighting her own tears.

"Joey?" Charlie said desperately.

Joey whirled around to face her.

"I'm leaving," she snapped. "If you really need me to spell it out for you."

"Why?"

"After what just happened?" Joey demanded. "You really think I want to spend the rest of my night snuggling with you? I don't think so, Charlie."

"Joey, you know I didn't mean it."

"You said you were just hanging out with me to get over Roman!"

"I was lying!"

"And you didn't have to!" Joey cried. "Ruby came to you out of love and respect, out of care and kindness. She told you to your face that if you were gay or bi or whatever, that if you were interested in me, that it was fine and you'd have her support. And you _still _denied it. She gave you the perfect opportunity to come out. It couldn't have been laid out any better for you. And you still can't step out of the shadows, admit that you love me and stop treating me like something to be ashamed of."

"Joey, I'm not ashamed of you…"

"Obviously, you are!"

"I just… it's hard for me."

"Do you think you're the first person to ever struggle to come out? Newsflash, Charlie, thousands of people do it all over the world. And it's scary and it's painful but it's necessary. And not everybody who's brave enough to take that risk, has a beautiful little sister who's willing to receive that news so damn well," Joey said.

Fully dressed, she headed to the window.

"Joey, please don't leave like this."

"Why not? It's not like you're giving me a reason to stay, Charlie."

"I'll talk to her. Please, just give me some time."

"You had time. You had the perfect time. She was practically begging you to tell her. And you lied. You denied it. You denied me. You denied us. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Charlie looked at her, feeling helpless.

"It makes me feel like you really have been using me to get over Roman."

"That's not true!" Charlie protested.

Joey opened up the window, grateful that Charlie slept on the ground floor. Charlie reached out to her, begging her to stay.

"I can't be with someone who's ashamed of me," Joey said sadly. "Because this hiding under your bed and creeping about, it's getting old."

"I can't come out, Joey. I'm not ready."

"Then I don't think there's a way forward for us."

She climbed through the window, looking at Charlie one last time.

"And you really hurt my arm," she said bitterly, rubbing it for emphasis.

Charlie cried harder as Joey disappeared into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

_Just as an aside, I know they're trying to introduce this whole "Georgie" first-name concept to Watson on the show but I just can't do it. She's just... Watson. In all her Watsony goodness. It'd be like referring to Mulder and Scully as Fox and Dana – just not right! So, yes, use of surname only here. And apologies for all the trauma! But you guys should know me by now... they always come right in the end. Thank you so much, as ever, for your commitment to the stories, for reading and reviewing and generally making me a very happy bunny. IJKS xx_

**Chapter Fifteen**

Joey walked around well into the night, replaying the scene with Charlie in her head. Maybe she had been too harsh with her. But no, Charlie had truly been given the world's most perfect opportunity to tell Ruby the truth and finally begin to shed some light on their relationship. And she had chosen to reject it. Joey wanted to be with Charlie more than anything but it hurt to know that even in a situation where it was likely that there would be a good outcome, she still wasn't willing to step up. Part of her just wanted to run back to the house, knock on the window and sweep Charlie into her arms and tell her that she didn't care, and that she'd hide out under her bed forever if it meant that she could hold her through the night. But she knew it wasn't true. She knew the time would come when she'd want to be out in the open, to be free. Maybe if she'd have just heard about it second-hand, it would have been fine. Perhaps if Charlie had come to her and said that Ruby was suspicious but that she'd had to deny it, Joey might have understood. But to have been forced to lie there, under the bed and listen to Charlie refer to her as someone who was helping her get over Roman, was too much. She'd felt cheap and used. Whether Charlie had meant what she'd said or not, she'd hurt her and Joey had been hurt enough times in her life by people who were careless with her feelings. She didn't think she needed anymore.

"Bit late to be out isn't it?" said a voice.

Joey spun round and saw Watson in uniform. She smiled. The officer smiled back shyly and Joey suddenly remembered what had happened last time they saw each other.

"What are you up to?" Joey asked conversationally.

"Just walking home from my shift. You?"

"Loitering without intent," Joey grinned. "Want company on your walk?"

"Sure," Watson replied, feeling a little nervous.

She felt disappointed that Joey had turned her down for a date, even though Charlie had explained that Joey didn't do the whole relationship thing. But she could cope. Joey was too lovely not to have around. She couldn't lose her friendship just because of some out of control hormones. And just because she couldn't touch, it didn't mean she couldn't look, did it? And there were such a great many beautiful features to look at.

"So, you looked a little stressed before," Watson said, as they began walking.

"Oh, I'm fine," Joey lied.

"Okay, you'd better not get in any legal trouble, Joey," Watson laughed. "Because your ability to be deceptive sucks."

Joey chuckled. She was right. That was half the problem. She wasn't used to having to sneak around and be creative with the truth.

"I um, I'm having girl trouble," Joey admitted. "But you probably don't want to know about that."

"I don't mind," Watson said.

Joey wasn't convinced.

"I want to be friends," Watson continued. "I don't want anything to be weird with us. If you want to talk, I'm happy to listen."

"I'm in love with someone who's afraid to come out," Joey said. "I kind of ended it tonight because when someone directly asked her if she was gay, she totally denied it, even though she knew the person wouldn't react badly if she told the truth. And she said some things about me that, whether she meant them or not, made me feel like the lowest of the low, like I was nothing. And it really, really hurt."

"I'm not surprised," Watson said. "It's hard to be with someone who wants to hide your love away. You start to absorb their shame."

Watson tried to ignore the fact that obviously Joey did do relationships and Charlie had misinformed her. Telling her she was with someone else would have been a suitable and truthful reason what wouldn't have injured her. But then, she supposed if the other woman was hiding in the closet then maybe it wasn't as easy as that. She briefly wondered if the woman Joey was seeing was Charlie and then brushed the thought away. Charlie was definitely straight. Wasn't she?

"Exactly!" Joey agreed. "And no matter how people have reacted to me, no matter what situation I've ended up in, the one thing I've always held onto is that I'm proud of who I am, including the dykadelic parts."

Watson snorted at the phrase. The stopped when they reached Joey's apartment.

"Want to come in for a drink?" Joey invited.

"Oh, yeah, thanks."

Watson followed Joey through the small but tidy flat. Joey headed straight to the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers. She opened them and handed one to Watson before leading her into the living room and throwing herself on the couch. Watson perched beside her.

"Cheers," Joey said.

"Cheers."

They clinked bottle necks.

"So, what are you going to do with your closeted girlfriend?" Watson asked.

Joey shook her head.

"I have no idea. All my instincts are telling me to cut and run. That's what I'd normally do. And I'd do it in a heartbeat. In the same situation with a different girl, I'd be gone by now. But…"

"You love her."

"I love her."

"Then I guess you need to do something more productive than running."

"But that's what I do!" Joey protested.

"Well, I'm coming up firmly against it," Watson declared. "I'd miss you too much. We'd all miss you."

Joey smiled at Watson's sweetness.

"Maybe we just need space. If she sees I'm for real about needing her to take us seriously… she will."

"Maybe. It's worth a shot. And hey, if you want to make her jealous or anything, I'm totally available," Watson grinned.

Joey laughed.

"Good to know!"

* * *

Charlie woke up in a foul mood in the morning. She'd only managed to sleep the night before once she worn herself out with crying and she was no nearer deciding what to do about Joey and Ruby. Of course, the logical thing would be to just tell Ruby the truth and show Joey exactly how much she loved her. But just thinking about it made her panic. It wasn't about telling Ruby. She'd already made it clear that she would be supportive. It was what would happen afterwards that Charlie was worried about. She'd have to tell other people. She'd get labelled a lesbian. She'd have to face Roman and her colleagues. Angelo's fascination would be merciless. And then she'd have to face her father. He and Morag were due home from their honeymoon in two weeks. If everyone else knew, she'd have to tell them too. And she'd have to tell them quickly, before the likes of Colleen got to them. Telling her Dad would be one of the worst experiences of her life. He'd been suspicious three years ago. Even without confirmation that she was into girls, he'd flipped. The tension between them had been hideous. He'd challenged her several times, set her up with several male dates and found ingenious ways to 'keep an eye on her'. Without her ever having to admit that she was confused about her sexuality, her father had stamped it out of her. At first, she had been determined not to let him bully her into what he wanted for her life. That had been the week that she'd first met Joey. But his overshadowing had got worse after that night and finally, she'd been scared away from the whole thing. She'd thought about it often since then and while she had met a couple of girls that she'd liked, she hadn't acted on her feelings, not until she'd seen Joey again. She'd firmly established herself as a heterosexual girl and cursed that fact that the one time her Dad was interested in what she was getting up to, it was to shake the homosexuality out of her. But yet again, Joey had blown her world apart and she didn't know what to do about it now.

"Morning!" Ruby said brightly.

Charlie just glared at her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Charlie?"

Ruby was worried. She'd also hardly slept from fretting about having done the wrong thing by approaching her sister the night before.

"I'm fine, Ruby," Charlie snapped.

"Well, yes, that's obvious," Ruby shot back sarcastically.

"You know, you had no right asking me that last night! I mean, how dare you come barging into my room and demand to know my sexual preference? Even if it wasn't men – which it is – then it's nothing to do with you!"

Ruby fought tears.

"Excuse me for caring about you," she said, before hurrying out of the house.

* * *

Joey woke up and padded sleepily into the living room to find Watson sprawled on the couch. One beer had turned into far more than one and left her friend in no fit state to walk home. She walked past and headed into the kitchen to make very strong coffees. Watson was surfacing just as she re-entered the room.

"How are you feeling?" Joey asked.

"I shouldn't drink beer," Watson complained.

"Have a coffee instead."

She handed it to her and curled up on the chair with her own.

* * *

Charlie struggled to concentrate at work and so offered to do the morning Diner run.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," she said. "I just have so much junk in my brain that I think it might explode. Something's got to give."

Charlie waved and headed out. She made the detour to the Surf Club before she'd even thought about it. Joey was behind the bar as she'd expected her to be. She did not look happy to see her. It wasn't a good feeling. Charlie approached anyway.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

"In private I presume," Joey said sardonically.

Charlie couldn't find a quick response.

"Please?" she finally asked.

Joey approached Alf and asked for a quick break. When he agreed, she nodded for Charlie to follow her outside. They sat on the posts outlining the beach.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Charlie said. "I handled everything so badly."

"Yeah, you did," Joey said, still feeling unforgiving.

"And I'm sorry that I can't be out and proud, waving banners and wearing flannel," Charlie added.

She'd attempted to make Joey laugh. She failed.

"That's not what I want from you, Charlie," she said evenly. "All I want is you for you not to make me feel so damn ashamed for loving you."

"It's not about shame."

"What, you're hiding in the closet because you're proud of who you are, are you?"

"People won't accept us," Charlie insisted.

"They will. And we weren't talking about 'people' last night. We both know Ruby would have been fine with it. She was desperate for you to come out last night. Charlie, she already knows. She just wants it confirmed. And you couldn't do it."

"I know."

"Can you do it now?"

Charlie hung her head.

"You still can't," Joey realised.

She started to walk away.

"Joey! Please don't leave me," Charlie begged.

Joey turned back to her.

"Why do you even care? If you truly wanted to be with me, you'd be prepared to take a risk," Joey told her. "But you know what? There are other people around who would be proud to be seen with me, even if you aren't."

Charlie flew into a panic and chased after her.

"No! Joey, you can't… You wouldn't go with someone else?" she said.

"Why not? I'm not with you anymore," Joey pointed out harshly.

"Joey, one day I'll be ready."

"And when that day comes, I hope you find someone to love."

She fought her own tears as she left Charlie standing there in the sunlight, feeling like they were both surrounded in darkness.

* * *

Charlie couldn't cope with work. All that filled her head was Joey and who she might pick up. She had images of her with some hot woman ready and willing to sweep her off her feet, be out and proud and willing to do whatever Joey wanted. She couldn't stop imaging Joey kissing another woman or worse, making love to her. She thought about all the amazing things they had done together since that first afternoon, painting Joey's living room, not to mention all the incredible moments they had shared before that. She hated the idea of Joey doing them with someone else. She didn't want Joey making new memories with someone other woman. She wanted them to be together. _Well, you know what you have to do_, Charlie thought to herself. _It's not hard, she's not asking much. All you have to do is come out to a sister who already knows you're a raving lesbian anyway, and you and Joey can reunite._ She stood up, psyching herself up to go and tell Joey that she wanted to tell Ruby and begin her coming out process, but that she needed her support and her love. Watson appeared in the doorway before she could move.

"Hey, are you okay?" Charlie asked, noting that the woman looked ill.

"Yeah, I just had too many beers yesterday. I ended up staying over with Joey."

The words stabbed like a knife. Joey and Watson had spent the night together? Last night? She raced to the conclusion that Joey must have walked out on her and jumped right into bed with Watson. Feeling sick, she pushed past her and stormed to the Surf Club.

"I slept on the couch," Watson said quietly, suddenly figuring out that Charlie was definitely the woman that Joey had been talking about all night.

* * *

Joey was miserably wiping the bar down when Charlie stormed in. She wondered why she'd even mentioned going off with someone else. She wasn't capable of being with anyone but Charlie. She loved her too much. She knew she'd only said it to hurt her and that made her feel like a terrible person.

"You slept with Watson!" Charlie hissed at her.

Joey just stared back at her, her mouth hanging open without any dignity.

"You didn't wait long, did you?" Charlie continued. "Well, it's nice to know exactly what I meant to you."

She stormed out. Joey followed, not bothering to ask permission.

"I didn't sleep with anyone last night!" Joey insisted.

Charlie felt the wind fly out of her sails.

"Watson said she spent the night with you."

"On my couch. We drank too much and I didn't want her to walk home alone. How dare you accuse me?"

"I thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong. That's not who I am," Joey snapped.

"But you said you were going to..."

"But I didn't last night. And I wouldn't with your friend. Give me some credit."

Joey marched away.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Joey hit the gym as soon as she finished work, taking out all her frustration on the punch bag.

"Bad day?" Tony asked from the reception desk.

She turned to face him.

"You have no idea," she said.

She continued pounding the bag until, finally tired, she decided to head home. She attempted to wave cheerfully at Tony before heading out the door. Lost in her own world, she tumbled straight into Watson. Both women apologised profusely.

"You look happy," Watson commented.

Joey shrugged.

"I'm guessing you and Charlie haven't worked it out."

Joey's eyes widened and she looked around, hoping nobody had heard. When she looked back at her, Watson was grinning.

"How did you…?"

"It's not rocket science, Joey," Watson pointed out. "You're in a bad mood, she's in a bad mood, she jumped to conclusions and freaked out when I said I'd crashed at yours."

Joey shuffled her feet nervously.

"Please don't tell anyone," she said finally.

"Please! As if! I value my life!"

Joey giggled.

"Hey, do you fancy dinner tonight?" Watson asked. "No ulterior motive, I swear. You just look like you need some cheering up."

Joey thought back to the argument with Charlie and then scolded herself for letting Charlie rule her choices. She nodded.

"That'd be good," she said. "Meet you at the Diner at seven thirty?"

"See you then."

* * *

Charlie paced at home.

"What is wrong with you?" Ruby snapped.

Her fretful sister was distracting her from her already boring homework and she still hadn't forgiven her for being so mean earlier in the morning.

"Nothing!"

She continued to pace before growling, grabbing her keys and storming out of the house.

* * *

Joey sat down with Watson at the Diner, feeling relaxed for the first time that day. It was nice to spend time with a friend, have no expectations and try to forget about the fact that she'd loved and lost so hard in a matter of days. She felt sick just thinking about it. Being with Charlie again, she'd felt like all her dreams had come true and she wasn't sure now if it was her own or Charlie's fault that it had been snatched away from them.

"Would you guys like some wine?" Leah asked, approaching their table.

"No!" both girls said in unison.

"We'll just have soft drinks thanks," Joey said with a grin.

Leah smiled.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked.

* * *

Charlie knocked loudly for the fifth time Joey's door. She was either not home or she was ignoring her. She peered in through the window but everything inside was dark. Turning away, she wondered whether she was working a double shift or something and so headed over to the Surf Club.

* * *

Joey and Watson tucked into their meals.

"So, what made you become a police officer?" Joey asked, sipping her lemonade.

"Honestly? I wanted to help people," Watson replied. "I knew I couldn't be a nurse or anything like that. That's not really my bag but the police or working for the fire service really appealed to me."

"What swayed you?"

"The recruitment officer when I looked into the police was really cute."

Joey laughed. That was precisely the type of thing she would do. She told her so. They continued eating.

"Have you lived in Summer Bay for long?" Joey asked.

"For the last six years," Watson told her. "I moved here with my partner… my ex-partner. We split five months ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

Watson shrugged.

"I've kind of been kicking around on my own since, trying to make the best of things."

"Have you had support?"

"Most of our friends were joint," Watson explained. "And because she reached out to them and I didn't, she got them. But I've been okay. I've been working hard and trying to build a social life again, you know with people from work."

Joey instantly thought of Charlie and wondered what she was doing tonight. She concentrated on her food.

"Sorry," Watson apologised.

"Don't be," Joey replied.

* * *

"Hey, Alf, is Joey around?" Charlie asked, approaching the bar.

"No, she knocked off earlier this afternoon," Alf told her.

He studied her face.

"Are you okay, Charlie?" he asked.

Charlie nodded.

"I'm fine."

She headed towards the exit.

"Where's the fire?" Angelo asked, as she stormed right into him.

She apologised.

"I'm just looking for Joey. Have you seen her?"

"Oh, she's having dinner with Watson at the Diner," Angelo said.

Charlie hurried past him without another word.

"Well then it's my mission to make sure we get you out and about again," Joey said firmly, with a cheeky smile.

"Joey?" said a voice.

Joey and Watson both turned to see Charlie frozen in the doorway looking stricken.

"Charlie," Joey said.

Charlie rushed over and crouched beside her chair.

"Joey, you said you weren't going to do this," Charlie said desperately.

"Do what?"

"This!"

Charlie gestured to the table and to Watson, not caring that she was making her colleague uncomfortable.

"Have dinner with a friend?" Joey asked, furrowing her brow.

"Is it just with a friend or is it a date?" Charlie asked.

Joey looked at Watson and then back down at Charlie, feeling utterly confused.

"It's dinner with a friend," she said. "Not that it's any of your business."

"It is my business," Charlie said. "Please… please don't leave me."

Charlie's heart was racing and she was fighting tears. Even if the meal was platonic, Charlie couldn't bear for there to even be a risk of it being more.

"Look, let's talk about it later," Joey said calmly.

"I need to talk about it now!" Charlie said.

Joey wasn't used to her being so overwrought with emotional. And people were starting to look.

"Charlie," Joey ventured, feeling awkward.

"Joey, please!" Charlie burst out, a little too loudly.

Tears flowed freely from her eyes. Joey was overwhelmed with compassion. People were starting to look. She excused herself to Watson and took Charlie by the arm.

"We can't discuss this here," she said, attempting to guide her out of the Diner.

"I don't care where we discuss it, Joey," Charlie said, halting them in the middle of the restaurant. "I can't lose you. I'll tell anyone about us that you want me to. I'll tell everyone. I'll publish it in the paper if that's what you need! But please don't let this end. What we have is too… it's too…"

Unable to finish her sentence due to the aching lump in her throat, Charlie acted on instinct. She leant forward and kissed Joey passionately, wrapping her arms around her and clinging on tightly. At first, Joey was startled but it took only a fraction of a second for her to respond, enjoying the familiar feel of Charlie's lips against her own. Finally pulling back, Joey was more aware of the entire Diner staring at them than Charlie was. Charlie trembled slightly as she looked into Joey's eyes.

"Please love me again."

Joey felt her heart break.

"Charlie, sweetheart, it was never about not loving you."

She clutched her tightly.

"Please don't ever think it was about not loving you. If anything, it was the opposite. I love you so much that I can't even think straight. No pun intended."

Charlie smiled.

"So we can work through this?"

Joey nodded, still feeling stunned.

"Although, I was honestly only asking you to tell Ruby," she grinned. "I wasn't expecting you to come out to the whole Diner."

Charlie suddenly realised where they were. She glanced round. Everyone was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Colleen looked like she could catch flies.

"Everyone's watching, aren't they?"

"Pretty much," Joey said.

Charlie clung a little tighter to Joey's waist.

"Can we go?" she asked.

"Actually, I'm still in the middle of my meal," Joey said.

She gestured back to Watson. Charlie looked crushed.

"So, come and sit with us and we can all enjoy a nice evening together."

"With people looking?" Charlie squeaked.

"With people looking," Joey confirmed.

She led Charlie back to the table and pulled up a chair for her. She held her hand across the table. Joey looked a little stunned. Charlie looked terrified. Watson looked amused. The couple relaxed a little when the hustle and bustle of the Diner slowly began to resume.

* * *

At the counter, Colleen finally closed her mouth and picked up her notepad.

"I'll just go and asked Constable Buckton if she wants something to eat," she decided.

Leah grabbed her arm and held her back, wanting to protect her housemate from an interrogation.

"That's my table," she said brightly. "I'll do it."

Colleen looked put out as Leah hurried over. Charlie met her gaze as she asked her if she wanted to eat. Charlie ordered a salad and glass of their most alcoholic wine. Leah couldn't help but be amused. This new development had taken her by surprise as much as anyone else but if they were happy, that was the important thing. Joey was a nice girl and Charlie had certainly been happier in her post-Roman days than she had been since she'd arrived in the Bay several months before. If Joey was the key to Charlie's life then it wasn't anyone else's place to judge.

"Congratulations, by the way," she said, before heading away from the table.

"Thanks," Charlie said, feeling relieved that she had the support of her housemate.

Leah, after all, would have to contend with Joey coming round all the time.

"I'll be back with your food," Leah said.

"Do you guys want me to jet?" Watson asked.

"No!" Joey said quickly. "We're all enjoying a meal together."

Charlie smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry to bust in on you guys," Charlie said. "I just… I was a bit..."

"In love," Watson said.

Charlie blushed. Joey continued to hold her hand.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Charlie and Joey walked home hand in hand. Charlie was surprised by how liberating it felt to be out with Joey in public. Yes, there had been a lot of looks and comments around the Diner as she, Joey and Watson had shared their meal. Leah had spent the evening preventing Colleen from coming over to their table and Charlie knew that this was just the beginning. Right now, she had to speak to Ruby. That was her priority. The worst thing that could happen would be for her to find out second-hand, especially when she had been kind enough to approach her so delicately the day before. She was relieved when she saw the lights were still on when they arrived back at the house.

"Hey," Ruby said, without enthusiasm.

She was making hot chocolate before bed.

"Hey," Charlie said shyly. "Can we talk?"

Ruby turned around and spotted Charlie and Joey's clasped hands. She sat down and nodded. Charlie chewed her lip and tried to find the right words.

"When you asked me if I liked Joey and I said no, I lied," she admitted.

"I know," Ruby said simply,

"I'm really sorry. I should have told you the truth. You couldn't have been more supportive."

She glanced at Joey.

"But I was scared and I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to admit it."

"So, you two are together?"

"We've been together for a week," Charlie said, afraid that Ruby would be angry about her deception.

Her sister just nodded.

"And you really like each other?"

"We love each other," Charlie said, glancing at Joey again, unable to stop herself from smiling.

"Did you… Were you together before?"

"Before?" Joey asked.

"When you knew each other in the city?"

Charlie nodded.

"Not properly though," she said. "We weren't in a relationship. There was just a connection. And it sparked up again when Joey arrived here."

"Is that why you and Roman split up?" Ruby asked.

She didn't want to interrogate her sister but she did want to find out exactly what the situation was.

"No. Well, kind of. I was aware that I had feelings for Joey from the moment I saw her again," Charlie explained.

Joey listened with interest. She hadn't heard this before.

"But I was willing to try and fight them because I really did care for Roman. But being around Joey, who... She makes me feel like the most special person on the planet. Comparing how she was with me to how Roman was with me, I tried to force it with Roman. I asked him to either commit to me or to walk away. And he walked away. And I was glad. Obviously it hurt at the time but I figured out extremely quickly that Joey's the person I'm meant to be with," Charlie said.

Joey squeezed her hand under the table.

"So, does this mean that you're gay?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Charlie said. "I think so. I think it's been something I've been hiding from for a long time. But I'm putting the label on the back burner for now. I need to do this one step at a time. Right now, I've met the love of my life and she's female. Later I'll try and figure out what that means."

Ruby nodded thoughtfully.

"I wish you'd told me," she said evenly. "Maybe I could have helped you. I don't know. I probably couldn't have but I would have tried."

"I know you would have. It wasn't that I didn't trust you. I just couldn't deal with saying the words outside of the bubble Joey and I were in."

Charlie reached her hand across the table. Ruby met her half way.

"So, are you going to start telling people now?"

Charlie looked fraught. Joey blushed.

"People kind of found out," Joey explained.

"How?" Ruby asked, intrigued.

"Joey and I kind of split up temporarily," Charlie ventured. "I was really hurting and I didn't want to lose her so I kind of declared my feelings and kissed her. In the middle of the Diner."

Ruby burst out laughing.

"Have you ever heard of stepping daintily out of the closet?" she asked.

Charlie blushed.

"It was pretty funny. Retrospectively. Colleen's face was a picture," Joey revealed.

"I'm totally going to hate you tomorrow when I get talked about at school," Ruby said, grinning to show she was teasing, "but right now, I think it's awesome and I'm really happy for you."

She stood up, walked round the table and hugged her sister. She opened her arms a little wider to welcome Joey into the embrace.

"So, everything's okay?" Charlie asked, drawing away.

"I told you yesterday that I'll support you and love you, no matter what. Gay or straight or bi or whatever, you're my sister. That's all that matters. Plus, you've picked a way nicer girl than any of the guys you've ever gone out with. This is the first time you've ever chosen someone who deserves you."

Joey grinned, feeling suddenly shy.

"I'm going to bed," Ruby said. "I'll see you in the morning."

Joey and Charlie wished her goodnight. Charlie nodded to herself once her sister was gone.

"Wow, this does feel kind of good," she said. "Like a weight's been lifted off me."

"I'm so glad tonight happened, Charlie. I know it was scary, not to mention a bit of a shock but it feels so amazing to be with you, out in the open."

Charlie nodded.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Joey," she said. "I can't do that if I'm hiding away. I know it was the right thing to do."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Inside the bedroom, Charlie felt strangely shy. The last time they had been in this room together, they'd argued terribly. She couldn't shake the feeling of guilt about how she'd treated Joey that night.

"I'm really sorry I hurt your arm," she said suddenly.

Joey looked at her quizzically.

"Last night," Charlie explained. "When I made you hide. I hurt your arm. I'm sorry."

Joey had completely forgotten about it. She smiled kindly and stepped forward, reaching out to hold her hands.

"It's already forgotten," she told her.

She raised Charlie's hands and kissed each one, gazing into her eyes. Captivated by her beauty, she drew in a breath, feeling struck by the notion that Charlie was really hers. They closed the gap between them, holding each other tightly and finding each other's lips. Joey led Charlie to the bed and slowly began to undress her, placing gentle kisses and touches at every area of exposed flesh she encountered. Charlie melted into Joey's adoration of her body and her soul. It was the first day of the rest of their lives.

***

The following morning, Leah arrived at work to find Colleen already talking about last night's revelations, filling Irene in on all the gossip.

"And then, right there in front of everybody, she kissed her, bold as you like!" Colleen squawked.

"I mean, two girls kissing in the middle of the Diner! And it wasn't exactly a peck if you know what I mean."

"It's not that big a deal, Colleen," Leah said, cursing the fact that she had to work with her all week.

She spotted Roman quietly chopping vegetables in the corner, not joining in. She approached him.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked.

"Well, I suppose you must be more confused than anyone!" Colleen said to him, before he could speak for himself.

Leah shot her a 'shut up' look but it went completely over her head.

"I mean," she said, "you and Charlie were an item not so long ago."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that!" Roman snapped.

His head was full of confusion and he was worried that his vegetable knife was going to end up at Colleen's throat before lunch time.

"Well, excuse me!" Colleen explained.

"Maybe you should start serving coffees," Irene interjected, shuffling her colleague away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Leah asked Roman.

"No," he said. "That's the opposite of what I want. I'm sick of hearing about this big, passionate kiss already."

He focussed on his vegetables. Leah and Irene exchanged a look.

Ruby was aware of the gossip from the moment she entered the school building. Boys and girls had that amused, scandalous look on their face as the story of Charlie's Big Kiss circulated. She headed over to Annie, Jai, Geoff and Nicole, hoping for some kind of protection.

"You um, figured it out one way or the other then?" Jai said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yep, they're in love," Ruby said with a smile.

She was happy for Charlie and Joey. She just hoped that the teasing didn't get out of control at school. She could do without people referring to her as the sister of a lesbian.

"Well, I hope she gets over it soon," Geoff said.

Ruby glared at him.

"She's in love, Geoff. She hasn't caught some horrible, flesh-eating virus!"

"I know but she's… you know, with a girl."

"So? She's happy."

"Yeah," said Nicole. "I might not be Charlie's biggest fan – no offence, Ruby – and I'm feeling a bit protective of my Dad right now, but whether Charlie's fallen for a guy or a girl is irrelevant."

"Thanks, Nicole," Ruby said.

"Can I ask one question though?" Nicole asked.

"Sure."

"She didn't cheat on Dad, did she?"

"Oh, no!" Ruby protested. "This happened after her and Roman ended. She wouldn't cheat."

Nicole nodded, satisfied.

"I still think it's…" Geoff began.

"Think it's what, Geoff?" Ruby challenged.

"Wrong," he said quietly, sensing he wasn't going to get any support. "Men and women are supposed to be together, not women and women and not men and men."

"How narrow-minded are you?" Nicole demanded.

"There's nothing wrong with Charlie and Joey being together," Jai added.

Suddenly everyone looked at Annie, who had remained abnormally quiet.

"We just think that Charlie would be happier with a man, that's all," she said.

Ruby felt extremely let down by the siblings. If she couldn't trust her own friends to be understanding then how would the rest of the school react?

"I've seen Charlie date guys. And I've seen her in a relationship with Joey. I know exactly which option makes her happier," she said firmly, walking away.

***

It was early afternoon and Joey and Charlie were still in bed.

"We should probably get up sometime today," Joey said, sighing heavily.

She'd had the most perfect day so far with Charlie. She didn't relish the thought of leaving the room.

"Why?" Charlie asked.

She trailed kisses across Joey's chest and let her hand slip beneath the duvet.

"Everything we need is here," she said, her voice low with anticipation of her next move.

Letting her hands glide over Joey's body had fast become one of her favourite activities of all time. She loved to see her reactions, explore her and bring her to climax. Beneath the duvet, her fingertips reached their destination. She felt Joey respond with pleasure. All thoughts of getting up and dressed faded away.

***

An hour later, Joey attempted to broach the subject of getting up again. This time Charlie was a little more agreeable.

"I am kind of hungry," she admitted.

"Diner?" Joey suggested.

Charlie looked unsure.

"Come on, Charlie, you have to face the Bay sometime. And wouldn't you prefer the first time to be with me to support you than while you're rushed and stressed and grabbing a coffee before work tomorrow morning?"

Charlie relented.

"I guess we'd better get showered," she said, flipping the blankets away from herself in one swift motion before she changed her mind.

Joey followed suit.

"Now, a shower sounds like a very good idea," she said with a wicked glint in her eye.

"Are we ever going to get out of here?" Charlie asked, pulling on her robe.

"Eventually!"

***

Two hours later, Charlie and Joey were hovering outside the Diner.

"You ready?" Joey asked, hoping she was because her tummy was rumbling.

"As I'll ever be," Charlie said, taking a breath.

They headed inside and couldn't fail to notice people immediately looking in their direction. Colleen nearly dropped a cup and a couple of high school kids pointed them out and whispered. Gripping each other's hands, the women walked up to the counter.

"Hi, Colleen," Joey said brightly.

The older woman looked flustered.

"Hi lesbians, I mean, ladies. What, what can I get you?"

Joy suppressed a smile. Charlie cringed.

"Two juices and two lasagnes, please," Joey said politely.

"Right you are," Colleen replied, hurrying away.

Joey frowned at the money in her hand. Colleen had fled before she could pay. Thankfully Leah stepped in.

"We'll bring it over," she said.

"Thanks," Charlie replied gratefully.

They took a seat in the corner, positioning themselves opposite each other.

"Not so bad?" Joey asked.

"Not so bad," Charlie confirmed. "Apart from being addressed as 'lesbian'. I could have lived without that."

"Oh, she didn't mean it," Joey said. "You know what she's like."

They turned their attention to their waitress.

"Here you are gays. I mean, girls!" Colleen said desperately.

She put their food and drinks on the table and hurried away like she'd been shot at. This time even Charlie couldn't fail to laugh.

"Okay, it is pretty funny," she admitted.

Joey beamed.

"Hey, is there any chance of getting you two on video tape sometime?" said a male, adolescent voice.

Charlie shot him a look.

"Do you really think hassling a cop is the smartest move you've ever made?" she asked the boy.

"Hey, does she take the uniform into the bedroom?" the boy, Trey asked, undeterred.

"Leave us alone," Joey warned him.

Joey's glare unnerved him and the fact that Charlie was a police officer made his mocking a little more serious than he meant it to be. He decided to back off and return to his friends, making some kind of rude gesture on his way.

"You know, you haven't actually brought your uniform into the bedroom since the hotel," Joey pointed out, once they'd been left in peace.

She grinned.

"Maybe tonight if you're lucky," Charlie said with a wink.

***

"So, I hear your sister's a lesbian."

Ruby sighed and turned round, prepared to growl at whichever jerk was bringing up the subject again. She stopped short when she made eye contact with the beautiful blonde boy behind her. He smiled.

"Sorry, I was just trying to get your attention," he said. "We don't have to talk about that."

"Good because I don't want to keep talking about it," Ruby said harshly, although her heart was beating at a mile a minute.

"So, what's your name?"

"Ruby. And yours?"

"Xavier. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ruby."

***

Charlie and Joey finished their food and finally, Charlie felt able to relax.

"Well, hello there!" said an excessively cheerful voice.

Recognising it, Charlie turned to see Angelo ambling towards them. She wasn't sure if she was pleased to see him or not. He pulled up a chair without being invited and grinned at both women.

"Well, the buzz at the station is all about you guys," he said.

"I'm shocked," Charlie replied sarcastically.

"All this time I was trying to win both or either of you and you only wanted each other."

"Is there a point to this conversation?" Joey asked.

"Just to say that I'm happy for you," Angelo said sincerely.

"Oh, well, thanks," Joey replied.

Charlie smiled and thanked him too.

"And if you have any images you want to put in my head, that's really, really fine," he added cheekily.

"I'm ordering coffee!" Charlie said, standing up and heading back over to the counter.

***

"I saw your sister and her lesbian lover at lunch time," Trey said when he spotted Ruby at her desk, waiting for Miles' English class to start.

"How nice for you," Ruby said, sounding bored.

She had really hoped people would have got over it by tomorrow.

"They're both really hot," Trey continued. "So does muff diving run in the family or is this an isolated incident?"

Ruby whirled around.

"Why don't you just shut your mouth?"

Xavier had yelled at him before Ruby could speak. She glanced at the new boy, flattered that he would defend her.

"And what's it got to do with you?" Trey challenged.

"Well, I'm watching you hassle someone for no good reason so I'm taking it upon myself to get you to shut the hell up," Xavier snapped.

"Alright!" Miles called, as he entered the room. "Settle down everyone."

Trey looked like he wanted the argument to continue but the presence of the teacher limited him somewhat. He remained silent and Xavier turned back round in his seat, flashing a smile at Ruby as he did so.

***

Roman froze when he spotted Charlie waiting to be served. He considered ignoring her but she'd already seen him so he had no option but to step forward.

"What can I get you?" he asked stiffly.

"Two coffees please," Charlie said.

His awkwardness was obvious and she couldn't help but pick up on it. She fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"So, how long has all this been going on?" Roman finally asked as he made their drinks.

"A week or so," Charlie said vaguely.

"And you didn't think to tell me you were gay when we were together?" he challenged coldly.

"Roman, you and I were separate to this," Charlie said quietly.

"How can we have been? You must have known you liked girls. You should have told me. You should have been honest. Our whole relationship was a lie."

"Everything I felt for you was real, okay? We didn't break up because I was attracted to girls. If you remember, we split because you didn't love me," Charlie pointed out.

"So, what, you're pretending with Joey?" he asked. "You're healing your heartbreak by being with her because she worships you and makes you feel good about yourself?"

"That's not what I said."

"Well, it's one or the other!" Roman snapped. "You were either lying to me or you're lying to her."

"I haven't lied to anybody!" Charlie insisted. "I've battled with my sexuality for a long time. But I cared for you, regardless of how you treated me. And now I'm in love for the first time and it's with Joey."

"Just tell me two things, Charlie," Roman said. "Was there an overlap?"

"No!"

"But you had feelings for her while you and I were still together, didn't you?"

Charlie looked down. He slammed the coffees down in front of her.

"Which leads me to my next question: did you lie about how you knew her? Were you and her together before?"

Charlie nodded.

"I feel like I don't even know who you are, Charlie."

"I'm still the same person," she said, tearing her eyes away from the coffees and back up to his face.

"We dated for two months and not once did you mention that you enjoy sex with girls!" Roman said.

"Why should that even matter?" Charlie said. "When I was with you, I was only with you. I didn't demand to know your entire sexual history."

"So if I turned around now and told you I was into men as well as women, it wouldn't matter to you?"

"Not really, no," Charlie said honestly. "And if you were in the same position as me, I would understand how damn hard it is to come out and admit to the unconventional side of who you are."

She threw her cash down on the counter, picked up the coffees and returned to her table. Angelo and Joey stared at her expectantly.

"Don't ask," she sighed.

Joey reached out to hold her hand across the table, half afraid that Charlie would snatch it away. Charlie clung on tightly and smiled.

***

Ruby arrived home in a strange mood. Charlie and Joey were already back and snuggled on the couch.

"Hey, how was your first day out of the closet?" the youngest Buckton asked, flopping down on the opposite chair.

"Colleen made several faux pas, I argued with Roman, we got some hassle off a high school boy and made Angelo's day. You?" Charlie asked, switching off the television.

"I got hassled by several high school boys. And girls. But an incredibly hot, new guy came to my aid so it's not so bad," Ruby grinned.

"There's a new guy?" Joey asked, looking up from where she was resting her head on Charlie's chest.

Their hands were joined in Charlie's lap.

"His name is Xavier and he's actually beautiful. Not gorgeous or attractive or good-looking. He's actually beautiful. And so nice. He rescued me from Trey Palmer making gross comments about the two of you."

"Sorry we're making your life difficult, Rubes," Charlie frowned.

"You're not. Other people are."

"So, are you seeing this guy again? Do I need to interrogate him about his intentions?" Charlie asked more cheerfully.

"Watch this space," Ruby replied confidently.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Five days later, the dust was finally beginning to settle and Charlie was relieved to discover that the world hadn't ended just because she'd said out loud that she was in love with Joey Collins. Her colleagues hadn't reacted at all, except to ensure that she knew they supported her and should anything happen, they would not put up with any kind of homophobia in the community. Jack and Martha had even invited her and Joey round for dinner so that they could get to know Joey better and get used to them as a couple. Charlie had fretted a little about people behaving differently around her but the evening had gone smoothly. Everything felt natural and easy and they had shared a lot of laughs. Ruby was now on cloud nine with her own fledgling romance with Xavier, who Charlie wasn't entirely convinced about but then, she didn't think anyone would be good enough for her little sister. She'd had a few cross words with Roman here and there and Colleen still seemed entirely unable to get used to the idea but those negatives paled in comparison to the pure joy she felt when she and Joey were together. Curled up in bed at Joey's apartment that night, Charlie knew there was only one hurdle left to get over. She'd been puzzling over it for several days and still had no idea how to handle the situation. Sensing her distraction, Joey nudged her and asked what was on her mind.

"My Dad and Morag will be coming home from their honeymoon in a week," Charlie said. "I have to tell them immediately, before anyone else gets a chance to and I just don't know how Dad's going to take it."

"What does your instinct tell you?" Joey asked, gazing up into Charlie's face.

"That he's going to flip," Charlie sighed. "That's… He's the biggest reason I didn't want to tell people. Even though we knew Ruby would be cool and that the rest of the town could like it or lump it… my Dad's a different issue altogether."

"What makes you think he'll take it badly?" Joey probed.

Charlie sighed and snuggled further down the pillow, hugging Joey closer.

"He was suspicious once before," she admitted. "Back around the time you and I first met. And he really, really didn't like it."

Joey nodded, feeling deflated.

"I mean, he's chilled out a lot since then but I'm afraid that he won't have relaxed about this kind of thing. Even without knowing for sure, he got obsessive about keeping an eye on me, trying to figure me out. He kept setting me up on heterosexual dates and lecturing me based on hypothetical theories," Charlie revealed.

Joey winced, fretting. She hated the idea of Charlie and her father falling out; especially considering the fragile relationship they had already had up until now. Joey really didn't want to be responsible for that kind of heartache.

"Are you going to hate me if this goes badly?" she asked meekly.

Charlie turned to look directly into her eyes.

"I'm going to cling to you like my life depends on it," Charlie said. "You'll get sick of me!"

"Clinging tightly is fine. It's letting me go that would break my heart," Joey said.

"Not going to happen," Charlie told her certainly.

* * *

The following morning, Joey rushed around, desperate not to be late for work after a prolonged lie-in. Charlie chuckled as Joey flew around the flat half undressed looking for a clean t-shirt. She'd been so wrapped up in Charlie all week that she'd forgotten to do boring things like laundry. Finally she arrived back in the kitchen, dressed, tidy and still flushed. Charlie kissed her, promised to lock up when she left and shoved a piece of toast in her mouth for her journey.

"Bye!" Joey yelled as she hurried out the door.

Sitting back to eat her own breakfast, it felt a little strange to be in Joey's apartment without her. But it also felt oddly comfortable. If she was going to be hanging out alone in anyone's house but hers then it felt right that it would be Joey's. She never would have done this at Roman's place, or with hardly any other boyfriend she'd had. Looking around at the state they'd let the place get into while they'd been so consumed with each other, Charlie decided to use her day off to clean up. She did the dishes, wiped the surfaces, ploughed through all the laundry, changed the bed sheets and scrubbed the bathroom, tidying up the little piles of mess the two of them had created here and there in the living room, as she went. Three hours later, she sat back on the couch, satisfied with her days work. Feeling grimy, she jumped into the shower to clean up and start making herself pretty for when Joey got home. Glancing at her watch, she realised she had an hour until her beloved came home and hopefully gave her a reward for her hard day's labour.

* * *

Charlie arrived back at the house with ten minutes to spare, having gone to the Diner to grab a take-away dinner for the evening. She collected Joey's mail for her on her way back inside and tossed it on the kitchen table along with the food. She walked round the flat, checking that everything was perfect. She smiled to herself, pleased with her handy-work.

"Charlie?" Joey called.

Charlie headed back into the kitchen to greet her. She looked pleasantly surprised to find that her girlfriend was still there.

"I cleaned!" Charlie declared.

She led Joey through the flat to show her what she'd done.

"You really didn't have to do that," Joey said, touched by the gesture. "Thank you so much."

She bundled her up into a cuddle.

"I admit to an ulterior motive," Charlie said. "I wanted a reward."

Joey kissed her.

"I'm sure I can provide one."

Her lips descended to Charlie's neck. Charlie felt suddenly weak at the knees. She held Joey tighter, enjoying the sensation of her lips and the occasional hint of tongue. Joey ran her palms over Charlie's breasts, slinking to her waist and coming back up again underneath her top.

"Our food's going to get cold," Charlie reluctantly protested.

Joey pulled back, torn between not wanting to let the food go to waste, and her craving for Charlie. She sighed and kissed her deeply once more.

"Let's eat quickly!" she said, taking her hand and leading her back into the kitchen.

She started piling their food onto plates as Charlie made their drinks.

* * *

After dinner, Joey was eager to finish what they'd begun in the living room.

"I bought dessert," Charlie said. "Strawberries and cream."

"You know were taking that to the bedroom," Joey said with a smile that that made Charlie's pulse race.

"I'll just do the dishes and then I'm all yours," Charlie promised, kissing her once and heading over to the sink with their plates.

Joey sulked, certain that washing up could wait. Strawberries, cream and Charlie's body could not.

"Oh, I picked up your mail for you," Charlie said absently.

Joey peered at the pile of letters on the table. The top one looked like a bill. It lacked interest but she picked up the pile anyway. As she'd suspected, the first envelope was a phone bill and the second was for her electricity. She froze when she saw a neatly addressed envelope present itself as the third and final piece of mail. Recognising the handwriting, she knew she did not want to open it. She attempted to stuff it underneath the bills and forget about it but Charlie caught her.

"Aren't you going to open that one?" she asked. "It's the only one that doesn't look like it's demanding your hard earned cash."

She studied Joey's ashen face and sat down.

"Joey, are you okay?"

Silently, Joey opened the letter and her expression did not get any more cheerful. She tossed it back down on the table like it had stung her.

"What is it?" Charlie asked.

"You know the harassment thing I told you about?" Joey said.

Charlie nodded.

"She found me."

"Oh," was all Charlie could manage.

Joey looked nervous. She exhaled heavily and chewed her lip until she could taste blood, drumming her fingers on the table.

"What does she want?" Charlie asked.

Joey gestured for Charlie to read up the letter.

_Dear Joey,_

_I can't say I wasn't devastated that you left me but I forgive you. I know that moving from place to place is one of your quirks. It's been hard to track you down but I knew I had to try. I had to tell you how much I miss you and how much I love you. I would love to come and see you in your pretty beach town. It would be so good to be close to you again after all the memories we've already made. You will always be my perfect girl. I love you, Joey._

_Forever yours,_

_Skip_

"Wow," Charlie said, putting the letter down.

Joey looked up at her, feeling stressed.

"It sounds like we were in a relationship or something," she said. "Memories we've made? The only memories we have is her being an obsessive stalker."

"She sounds pretty besotted," Charlie agreed. "I mean, I know it's easy to fall in love with you but…"

"One date. One kiss. That was it. That was all it was ever going to be," Joey said firmly.

"All this is based on one date and a kiss?" Charlie asked.

Joey nodded.

"I assumed you'd…"

"Done something to lead her on?" Joey challenged her, sounding hurt.

Charlie's eyes were kind and she covered Joey's hand with her own.

"Given her something to work with," Charlie said. "I wasn't accusing you of anything."

"Sorry," Joey apologised. "She just makes me nervous. What if she shows up here?"

"Well, if she does, you can take out a restraining order easily enough. Although, you'd have to explain exactly what hassle she's been causing you."

Joey shook her head.

"I don't want to hurt her," Joey said. "Call me an idiot but I'd feel bad. She's not a bad person. She's just… misguided."

Charlie frowned and stroked Joey's fingers with her thumb. Joey stood up and reached out for a hug. Charlie pulled her onto her lap and kissed her.

"What can I do to make you happy?" Charlie asked.

Joey smiled, already looking more cheerful.

"I think you were talking about strawberries before I opened the letter."

"Oh yes, I was, wasn't I?"


	20. Chapter 20

_Hi everyone – sorry for the delay. The irritation of real life got in the way! But thank you, as ever, for all the wonderful reviews I've been given. Always muchly appreciated!_

**Chapter Twenty**

Joey jolted awake, sitting up quickly in bed and accidentally waking Charlie who was curled up around her, in the process. Breathing heavily, Joey tried to bring herself down from her fright and remember exactly where she was. Charlie put her arms around her, deep concern etched on her face. Joey apologised and lay back down. Charlie lay with her.

"Bad dream?" she presumed.

Joey nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, that's okay," Joey said dismissively. "Let's just go back to sleep."

She shut her eyes. Dissatisfied, Charlie sighed and closed her own eyes. It only took ten minutes for Joey to bolt upright in bed again, looking distressed. Charlie reached out to hold her.

"Joey, what are you dreaming about?"

Joey sank back down on the pillows. She felt clammy and hot.

"I was dreaming about this dark shadow following me. Everywhere I went, it was right there behind me. Every time I woke up, it had backed me into a corner and was just about to grab hold of me," Joey explained.

She glanced at Charlie.

"I think I might be stressed about my stalker."

"No shit, Sherlock," Charlie replied with a gentle laugh.

Joey managed to smile. She pulled Charlie closer.

"What if Skip does come here?" she asked worriedly.

"Then we'll deal with it," Charlie told her firmly. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, Joey. But maybe you should tell me the whole story so that we both know what we're dealing with."

Joey sighed. She closed her eyes for a few moments and then turned back to Charlie.

"Okay, so I was out with friends and one of my friends hooked up with Skip's friend. She was one of those girls that you can tell are really lonely. Two by two, all our friends started finding people to dance with and make out with. A woman started talking to me but all I could see out of the corner of my eye was Skip looking devastated at being a loner. So I took pity on her. I ended up spending the evening hanging out with her instead. At the end of the night… well, I felt sorry for her. We were surrounded by people forming new couples so I kissed her. That was all it was meant to be – a pity kiss. I was never expecting to see her again."

"Obviously she had other ideas," Charlie said.

"She got my number called me and asked me out. I didn't particularly want to go but I remembered her saying the night before that she'd never been on a date before. So, I took her out. We had a meal together. It was really nice. I had seafood."

She glanced at Charlie.

"Which really isn't the point," Joey frowned. "The food was good but the company was a bit intense and that would have put me off even if I had been attracted to her. She drove me home and I was saying goodnight when she leapt on me and tried to shove her tongue down my throat. I pushed her away and let her down firmly but gently. Then I escaped into my apartment and hoped that I could close the door on the whole thing."

Charlie listened intently without interrupting.

"Skip kept calling me and texting me. She got hold of my email and left me several messages a day, through any means possible. I wasn't worried exactly but it was getting irritating. I messaged her back and told her again that nothing was going to happen between us and I asked her to please leave me alone. So, she started sending me gifts. I got flowers, chocolates, random little trinkets. She even sent me photographs of herself. I told her that if she didn't quit, I'd call the police, which really upset her and she declared that loving someone wasn't a crime."

"She fell in love with you after one kiss?" Charlie asked. "I mean, I'm not really one to talk but…"

Joey laughed softly and kissed Charlie once on the lips.

"Things went from irritating to a little bit frightening when she started following me. She showed up at work, she sat outside my house; she followed me around the supermarket. It was like, everywhere I went, there she was. It was driving me crazy."

"Why didn't you contact the police, Joey?" Charlie asked, unnerved for her.

"Oh, I don't trust pol… I mean, um, I don't know."

Charlie laughed.

"I hope you trust us now!" she commented.

"Of course," Joey promised. "They just haven't been very helpful to me in the past. But I'm sure it's different here."

"Of course it is," Charlie pouted.

Joey kissed her for good measure before she continued with her story.

"So, anyway, things got worse. She stopped being content sitting outside my house, following me around, writing me love letters, calling me, emailing me, texting me and sending me gifts. One day, I came home and found her in my bedroom."

"What did you do?" Charlie asked, alarmed.

"I screamed and covered my eyes," Joey told her.

Charlie looked confused.

"Oh yeah, I should probably mention that she was naked, on my bed and um… well, preparing herself for me to get home."

Joey blushed. Charlie pulled a face.

"Apparently, she was waiting for me to come and finish the job," Joey explained, shuddering. "Seriously, it was the freakiest thing I've ever witnessed. It's scarred me for life."

"I'm not surprised!"

"Although, if you ever wanted to try something similar…" Joey added with a cheeky grin.

Charlie's shocked face was extremely amusing.

"Just putting it out there," Joey laughed. "So to speak."

"Anyway…" Charlie said, changing the subject. "Is that when you left?"

"No. I stepped up security when it came to locking windows and stuff. That's how she got in. And I changed the locks. I made my friends all aware that she was causing me a lot of hassle and they did their best to protect me. The last straw came when I found cameras in my house. She'd been filming me in the bathroom, bedroom and living room."

"Joey!" Charlie said. "You should have pressed charges against her! That's such a violation."

"I challenged her about it and she defended herself by saying she'd only done it because she wanted to find out what kind of things made me happy. I trashed her tapes and then I left town and came here. I didn't want the fuss of dealing with her. I just wanted her out of my life, you know?"

"I know but…"

Charlie sighed.

"And now she has my address and she could show up at any moment."

"If she does, you seriously have to let me take the lead on this, Joey. You have to make a formal complaint and get a restraining order against her. You have to."

"I know," Joey said desperately.

She didn't like Charlie being so direct with her.

"I know I handled it badly," Joey said. "I just didn't know what else to do. Fight or flight – I chose the latter."

Charlie nodded and hugged Joey as closely as she could.

"I don't mean to be critical. I just feel protective of you," she said.

"I know. And I'm grateful," Joey replied, although she still felt a little wounded.

Charlie kissed her, wiping her pout off her face. She smiled.

"How have I gone from never sharing anything about my life to telling you everything you want to know?" she wondered.

"I must be persuasive," Charlie grinned.

They kissed more deeply.

"Mmm," Joey sighed. "Very persuasive."


	21. Chapter 21

_Firstly, apologies for my unflattering portrayal of Charlie's Dad. And just as an aside, none of the other post-Charlie/Roman storylines are going on. Martha is fit and well, Jack is alive, Angelo is still a nice guy, Ross doesn't have Alzheimer's and none of the development stuff is happening. Thank you all for your reviews! Enjoy! And thanks to my continuity editor, funkyshaz (you ROCK by the way), I've changed the part where they pop into a fair on the way home. Totally forgot that was there and it messes up the rest of the story. Thank you! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Twenty-One**

As the week continued, Joey checked the mail fretfully every day while Charlie silently counted down until her father returned from his honeymoon. Both women felt on edge but were thankful that it drew them together rather than pulling them apart. It felt strange for Joey to be experiencing life with another person. She enjoyed waking up with Charlie, having a companion that really cared about what she said and did, sharing every day responsibilities like cooking and cleaning, having someone she could truly rely on. More than anything, she loved curling up in Charlie's arms when she went to sleep. It was something that surprised her, as she had never been a cuddly sleeper before. She had always needed her space, separation from the person beside her or she got hot and bothered and fidgety and that meant a bad night's sleep. But the thought of lying away from Charlie was awful. They fit together so perfectly. There was nowhere else she would rather be. Charlie found it peculiar to share her troubles. It had always been her instinct to survive alone. She didn't talk about her feelings or any of the crazy thoughts that ran through her mind on any given day. But something about Joey seemed to make her talk. She wanted to spill all her secrets and confide in her about everything, big or small. The more she fretted about her father's reaction, the more she told Joey about it. And Joey always listened and comforted her. She never let her down. Charlie just hoped her Dad could see past Joey's gender and acknowledge the beauty she held in her heart. Ruby was right; Charlie's choice in women far exceeded her choice in men.

"Okay, I have a question I may not want the answer to," Ruby said, joining Charlie and Joey at the kitchen table for dinner.

The women exchanged glances, not sure they wanted to answer either.

"If you guys were together in secret for a week before you told me, does that mean Joey was sneaking in and out of your bedroom?"

Charlie focussed on her food as she pondered her answer. Joey remained mute.

"I take your silence as a yes," Ruby gently accused. "Oh no, she wasn't hiding any of the times I came in to see you, was she?"

"Um…"

Ruby turned to Joey, her eyes wide.

"Were you?" she demanded.

"Maybe a couple of times," Joey said nervously.

"Which times?" Ruby wanted to know.

"When you wanted to borrow my clothes and then when you asked me about my sexuality," Charlie admitted.

"Why didn't you come out?" Ruby asked Joey. "If you had then Charlie wouldn't have been able to keep lying."

"I had to let her do her thing," Joey said sadly. "Plus I was too upset to move from under the bed."

Charlie felt instantly guilty. Ruby tried to recall exactly what she'd said that night. She hoped she hadn't embarrassed herself.

"Hang on, is that why you guys argued?" she asked, frowning.

"Yeah, but it was my fault, not yours," Charlie said quickly.

"I still feel kind of bad. Sorry."

"Really, it was my fault," Charlie repeated.

"It doesn't matter now anyway," Joey added. "Everything's fine now."

"Okay. Well, good then."

They continued eating.

***

Charlie was drowning in paperwork when there was a knock on her office door. Turning her head, she saw Joey hovering in the doorway.

"Hey, sweetheart," she greeted warmly.

She frowned when she saw the tense expression on her girlfriend's face.

"What's happened?" she asked.

Joey walked further into the room. Charlie stood up and guided her into her chair. She perched on the edge of the desk. Joey offered up an envelope, addressed in the same dainty handwriting as the last one from Skip had been.

"Can you read it please?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded, accepting the envelope and opening it.

"Do you want me to read it out?" she asked.

Joey nodded.

Charlie began reading:

_Dear Joey,_

_I'm really hurt that you haven't replied to my first letter, knowing how hard it was for me to find you to get in touch. I know we parted on difficult terms and that you were upset with me but I thought we could have got past it by now._

"Get past it?" Joey shrieked. "Setting up cameras in my house? Stalking me for months? And she thinks we can get past it!"

Charlie reached out to hold her hand, keeping her lid on her own feelings. She carried on reading:

_I'm really sorry for hurting you. I only did everything I did because I love you so much. I need you in my life, Joey. Life doesn't seem worth living without you. I miss you so much. Please let me come and see you. I love you._

_Forever yours,_

_Skip_

Charlie tossed the letter onto the desk and sighed. She slipped off it and crouched in front of Joey, taking her other hand as well.

"On the plus side, it looks like she won't come here without permission," she said, trying to sound cheerful.

"That won't last," Joey said certainly.

Charlie reached out to cuddle her. She felt Joey collapse into her embrace.

"Everything's going to be okay, Joey. I'm here to look out for you," Charlie promised.

Joey tried to smile. Charlie got to her feet.

"Wait here," the police officer said. "I'll be back in a moment."

She hurried out of the room. Joey waited numbly in the chair. A few minutes later, Charlie came back. She pulled Joey to her feet and kissed her.

"Right, we're going," she said brightly.

"Going?" Joey asked.

Charlie grabbed her keys and her bag.

"I've got the rest of the day off work and I'm taking you out," she told her. "We're going to have a nice day together, just the two of us."

"Sounds like Heaven," Joey smiled, allowing herself to be led out of the office.

***

"So, where are we going?" Joey asked.

"I have no idea," Charlie admitted, glancing briefly from the road to her passenger.

Joey nodded. She looked out of the window and then back at Charlie. She smiled to herself and studied Charlie's profile. She couldn't stop thinking about how perfect she was. There wasn't a single unlovable thing about her. Smiling even wider, Joey leant across her seat and lazily stroked her hand up and down Charlie's thigh. Charlie felt shivers run up her leg and wasn't sure whether she was grateful or not that she'd changed into shorts before they'd left. She felt Joey's fingers get high and higher.

"Joey," she warned. "I am trying to drive you know."

Joey persisted and leant further over, placing soft kisses on Charlie's shoulder and neck. Charlie's whole body was tingling. She tried to focus hard on the road but Joey was driving her to distraction. Joey's hands got higher and her kisses got more intense.

"Joey, seriously," Charlie complained. "I'm going to crash."

"Pull over then," Joey suggested.

Her voice was low and inviting. Charlie looked around frantically for somewhere to park. Spotting a dirt track leading to some woods, she pulled hastily into it. Joey grinned to herself, never letting her hands or mouth relent in their exploration of Charlie's skin. As soon as she'd turned off the engine, Charlie turned to Joey. She let her hands tangle in Joey's hair as she began to return her kisses. Joey's hand slipped higher, underneath Charlie's shorts.

"This is so wrong," Charlie murmured against Joey's mouth.

"Do you want me to stop?" Joey asked, willing to do no such thing.

"Don't you dare!" Charlie gasped.

***

Joey smiled happily to herself as she lay, a little cramped in the backseat of Charlie's car, with Charlie in her arms.

"Well, you definitely cheered me up," she said.

Charlie laughed.

"We were so lucky not to get caught."

Joey kissed the top of Charlie's head.

"Think of the headlines!"

Charlie giggled again and looked up into Joey's face. She kissed her lips once.

"You really do make me the happiest woman on earth," she said earnestly.

"And you're my dream come true," Joey replied, kissing her again.

***

Charlie and Joey stopped off at the Diner on their way home. They'd ended up driving past an arcade and opted to go inside and play on all the games. They'd giggled for the entire journey home and managed to resist pulling over on their way back. Joey felt Charlie's hand squeeze her a little tighter when they received a few looks upon entry to the restaurant. The pressure had lessened somewhat but a few people still did double takes when they saw them. They plastered smiles on their faces when Colleen came over to serve them.

"Thank you for today," Joey said when Colleen had gone.

"My pleasure," Charlie said. "To be honest, it helped me to distract myself too."

"Is it tomorrow your Dad and Morag will be home?"

Charlie nodded and sighed. She still had no comprehension of how her father was going to take the news of her new relationship. They had spoken on the phone and Charlie had invited them round for a family meal as soon as they got back. She didn't want anyone revealing the gossip to them. She wanted to tell them herself. They would be staying with Roman, however, so the chances of her father hearing the news nicely were minimal. She just hoped that Roman would surprise her and keep his mouth shut. He was a good man and they had cared for each other. She just hoped it was enough.

"Are you okay about it?"

"I don't know," Charlie admitted. "I just don't think Dad's going to cope. I really hope he will. And meeting you straight off should help. I mean, who wouldn't love you? And Ruby will be there. She'll stand up for us. But I just don't know if it'll be enough."

Joey held her hand across the table.

"We'll get through it," she said. "He might not react well initially but hopefully with time, it'll get better. He loves you. You're his daughter. He won't want to lose that."

Charlie nodded, still not convinced.

"Well, I'll do everything I can to make it easy. I'll take care of the food and I'll be there to support you," Joey promised. "And if at any point, you want me to go, just tell me. You might need some time with your family without me there. And that's fine. I won't be offended."

"Joey, you _are_ my family. I won't want you to go," Charlie said.

Joey blushed and didn't quite know what to say.

***

The following evening, Charlie was so fretful she thought she might throw up. Joey had been an angel and spent every moment since she finished her shift at lunch time, cleaning, shopping and cooking. Ruby came out of her room, excited to see her Dad again after so long but almost as tense as her sister about the necessity of coming out. She'd pledged her support to Charlie and Joey but standing against her father, should the need arise, would be no easy task.

"Everything is going to be fine," she assured Charlie.

Charlie tried to smile. She looked at her watch. They would be arriving in seven minutes. Joey emerged from the kitchen. She'd tried to look as smart as possible, desperate to impress. Both she and Charlie had driven each other crazy choosing their outfits. They'd known they were stressed when they hadn't once got distracted during their fashion show. She walked across the room to give Charlie a hug. Ruby wandered back into her bedroom to check her make-up. Charlie pulled Joey in for a kiss. They sprang apart when they heard a knock on the back door and the familiar voice of Morag calling their names. Ruby rushed back out of her bedroom, skipping into the kitchen. Charlie and Joey followed more quietly. Ruby hugged her father and then Morag, chattering excitedly about missing them, hoping they'd had a nice time and if they'd bought her any presents.

"Give them a chance, Ruby," Charlie gently scolded.

She then stepped forward to hug her father and step-mum.

"Who's this?" Ross Buckton asked, referring to Joey who was hovering awkwardly in the background.

"This is Joey," Charlie introduced.

"Hi," Joey squeaked nervously.

Ross and Morag exchanged pleasantries.

"I hope you guys are hungry," Ruby said cheerfully. "Joey's cooked enough to feed an army!"

Ruby, Ross and Colleen sat down while Charlie and Joey busied themselves with serving dinner and drinks.

"I don't mean to be rude but I thought this was just a family meal," Ross said, glancing at Joey.

Joey blanched. Charlie took a breath.

"Well, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about," she said. "The thing is… well, um…"

She faltered. Joey looked terrified. She had never met a girlfriend's parents before. Ruby smiled at her sister encouragingly, nodding.

"Joey and I are seeing each other," Charlie said finally.

She refused to break eye contact with her father.

"We're… we're in love. So, so, Joey is part of the family now."

Morag looked surprised but Ross looked aghast.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he eventually asked.

"No. No joke. This is real."

"What about Roman?" Morag wanted to know.

"We split while you were away."

"And you're getting over him by pretending to be a lesbian? Again?" Ross asked.

Morag looked even more surprised.

"I'm not pretending to be anything. Joey and I really care about each other."

She stepped back and gripped Joey's hand. Joey's eyes flitted from one speaker to the next.

"What kind of name is Joey for a girl anyway?" Ross asked.

Joey frowned.

"Um, are you forgetting Charlie's name?" Ruby interjected.

"Charlie is a normal nickname for Charlotte. Joey isn't a proper name for a girl."

"I don't think this is about names," Charlie said defensively.

Joey suddenly realised she was holding her breath. She didn't let it go.

"No, it's not," Ross agreed. "It's about you letting yourself get seduced by some lesbian."

"Dad," Charlie pleaded, letting go of Joey's hand and sitting down at the table. "It wasn't like that. Really, it wasn't."

She pulled Joey into the seat beside her.

"Well, if you're happy…" Morag began pleasantly.

Ross studied Joey's face.

"What's your surname?" he asked.

Joey looked surprised. It was the first time Charlie's Dad had addressed her since 'hello' and it felt like ever such a random question.

"Collins, Sir," Joey said, trying to be polite.

"You're the girl from before," he realised.

Charlie and Joey exchanged glances.

"Joanne Collins, born in July 1984, six incidents of domestic disturbance and wanted for questioning in relation to theft," he said sternly.

Joey blanched. Charlie, Ruby and Morag turned to stare at her. Her whole body began to tremble and she fought the urge to flee.

"How… how do you even know that?" Charlie asked, choosing to ignore how dodgy he'd made Joey sound.

"I did a background check on her the first time she dragged you into bed," Ross replied.

"You… You knew? And you did a background check?" Charlie said, utterly confused.

"Of course I did. I was trying to protect you, Charlie."

He turned back to Joey.

"So, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"It… It wasn't like that," Joey said meekly. "I never stole anything."

She looked at Charlie, pleading with her eyes.

"It wasn't like that," she repeated.

"Why don't you tell us what it was like?" Ross challenged.

Joey stood up, panicked. She couldn't cope with the curious way Charlie was looking at her. Meeting the parents had not been a good idea.

"I… I should go," she finally managed, rushing towards the door.

Charlie leapt to her feet in pursuit, calling her name but Joey ignored her and rushed away from the house. Charlie came back to her family, defeated.

"Guilty," Ross confirmed.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Charlie stood in the middle of the room, lost as to what to do next. Of all the scenarios she had played out in her mind, this had not even nearly been one of them.

"Why did you do that, Dad?" she asked quietly.

"I did it for your own good," he replied. "Shall we eat?"

Charlie finished serving up in a daze.

"Joey's a good person, Dad," Ruby offered, feeling her sister's pain and confusion.

"Tell that to the woman she robbed."

"There must be some explanation," Charlie said definitely.

She knew Joey. She loved her. They'd been more real with each other than they'd ever been with anyone else in their lives. She refused to believe that Joey was a fraud, that she had lied to her.

"I checked her out years ago, sweetheart," Ross said kindly. "The first time all this threatened to happen."

"So, is it just Joey you have a problem with?" Charlie asked, sinking into a chair, feeling decidedly not hungry anymore.

"Charlie, you're a heterosexual girl who just gets lonely sometimes," her father told her.

Ruby turned to look at Charlie, silently asking if he was right. She tried not to feel cranky over the fact that she'd accepted her sister was into girls when potentially, it wasn't even true.

"Ross, if I may interject – if this has happened before then the chances are it's not a phase," Morag said.

Charlie had never appreciated her more.

"I think I know my daughter a little better than you do. Come on; let's just get on with our evening."

Charlie picked at her food distractedly.

"Charlie?" Ruby said suddenly.

Charlie looked up.

"If you're not planning on breaking up with Joey..." she began.

"Of course they're breaking up!" Ross interrupted.

"If you're not planning on breaking up with Joey," Ruby continued, ignoring her father, "then don't you think you should go after her? We both know she has a tendency to leave town when things get hard for her and if she thinks she's lost you..."

Charlie was on her feet and running out of the door before Ruby could even finish. Ruby turned back to her Dad.

"Can't you just give them a chance?" she asked. "Charlie's been almost unrecognisable these last few weeks; she's been happier than I've ever seen her."

***

Charlie was relieved to see a light on when she approached Joey's apartment. She hurried inside and stopped short when she saw her girlfriend sitting on the couch, surrounded by packed bags, staring into space.

"Two and a half weeks, huh?" Charlie said. "That's surely got to be record for the least amount of time living in one place."

Joey shook her head.

"I lasted five days in one other place," she told her.

"So, you're just going to leave me without saying goodbye or anything?" Charlie challenged.

Joey turned to look at her.

"If I was leaving you, I would have left by now," she said.

Charlie crept forward from where she had been hovering in the doorway.

"So, you just have an addiction to packing?"

Joey tried to smile.

"I was going to go," she admitted. "It seemed like the right thing to do; it seemed like the _only _thing to do. But I have this problem that I've never had before. I'm so besotted that I can't quite bring myself to separate from you."

Charlie perched next to her on the sofa, not touching but looking deep into her eyes.

"Well, that's a good thing because I don't know what I'd do without you."

Joey looked surprised.

"I didn't think you'd want to know me anymore."

"Why?"

"Sorry, were you not present in your house when your father met me?" Joey asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, I was also there when you said that he'd got it wrong," Charlie reminded her.

Joey swallowed.

"You really believe in me?" she asked.

"Of course I do," Charlie told her sincerely. "But maybe you should explain what it really was like."

Joey looked down. She didn't want to. It felt like she'd offered revelation after revelation about her past over the last two weeks. This was one she didn't want to share. She played it over in her mind, wondering how she could leave certain bits out but there was no way she could without making herself look even worse. She so desperately wanted to be perfect for Charlie. She couldn't bear for her to know where she had come from and what a wreck she really was.

"Joey, please talk to me," Charlie begged.

She took hold of her hand, attempting to show that she cared about her and that she wanted to be on her side.

"I didn't steal anything," Joey said finally. "I just... hid it."

"What did you hide?"

"A necklace."

"Why?"

It seemed like such a random thing to do.

"Vengeance," Joey replied simply.

She really didn't want to go into the details.

"Someone did something bad to me so I hid her necklace. Can we just leave it at that?"

"It must have been a pretty special necklace for her to go to the police about it."

"It was insured for a million."

Charlie exhaled audibly.

"What did she do to provoke you?" she urged.

Joey looked back down at the floor.

"It was years ago. I was eighteen and I'd just arrived in the city from my hometown. I got a job as a gardener in this massive house belonging to a rich woman in her forties," Joey began. "She wasn't the friendliest of people but she took an interest in me and watched me work while she had breakfast in the mornings. One day, she called me in to speak to her. I panicked because I thought she was going to fire me but instead... well, put it this way, she wanted to reward me in kind as well as wages."

Joey stared so hard at the floor that she thought she might actually succeed in burning a hole in the carpet. She couldn't bring herself to look at Charlie.

"She was older, more experienced and well, really hot, to be perfectly frank. So we started... I have no idea what we started doing, quite honestly. I wasn't a girlfriend or anything. I was a bit of a plaything, I guess. And it was pretty fun. I enjoyed the attention, and spending nights in a beautiful mansion with staff to wait on me was hardly a chore."

She dared to glance at Charlie who was listening intently. Her expression was unreadable. Joey took the remaining grip on her hand as a good sign.

"Things good too intense though. It became clear after a couple of months that she thought she owned me. I wasn't allowed to do anything without her. She wanted to know where I was and what I was doing at every moment of the day. She spent money on me and gave me attention and it meant that I was hers for keeps. Call me ungrateful, but I stopped enjoying it and tried to look for a way out. But before I could, we had one really bad night."

She swallowed hard.

"Something happened and I hid the necklace before I left," she said quickly.

"What happened?" Charlie asked.

"I don't like talking about it. Not even with you."

"I'm still at a loss as to what she could have done to make you hide her million dollar jewellery," Charlie said honestly.

Joey sighed.

"She tried to pimp me out to her friends," she finally said, looking away again. "She had some friends round for dinner and she decided that part of 'duty' to her was to have sex with all six of her friends, male and female."

Charlie blinked. She hadn't pictured the story going in that direction.

"I didn't want to. She tried to force me. They all tried to force me. I don't really know what you'd class what happened as – maybe assault, maybe not. I don't really want to think about it. But by the time I'd managed to flee the room, things had happened that I really didn't want."

Charlie squeezed her hand tighter.

"So I packed up my stuff and then just as I was leaving, I spotted the necklace that she was so obsessed with. She had it locked up but I'd paid enough attention to know where she kept the key. I took the necklace, hid it in the house – behind some books on this old bookcase that she'd never read and just kept for show to make herself look intelligent. I left a note that said 'expand your imagination to find where I'm hidden', in place of the necklace and then I ran off."

Charlie licked her lips. The hiding would have been amusing if it hadn't been for what had led up to it.

"I know I did the wrong thing, Charlie," Joey said, looking back at her. "But I was hurting so much after what happened. It was just a stupid, snap decision and to be honest, I still struggle now to feel bad about it."

"I would have destroyed the damn thing," Charlie admitted. "Of course, hiding it to frustrate the hell out of her is exactly the cheeky thing you'd do."

Joey laughed softly. The fact that Charlie was empathising and not condemning her could only be a good thing.

"I'm sorry for what you had to go through," Charlie said gently.

Joey shrugged.

"I'm over it."

Charlie scoffed in disbelief.

"Sort of. I handled it the only way I know how."

"By continuously running and never letting yourself get close to people," Charlie said.

"Pretty much."

Charlie rested her face against her palms, not sure what to say and do. Joey watched her, feeling frightened and assuming the rejection would come any time now.

"Why didn't you press charges?" Charlie finally asked, looking at her again.

"I didn't want the hassle," Joey said. "I just wanted to get away."

"You've said that before," Charlie reminded her. "With that girl, Skip."

Joey nodded.

"It didn't make sense to try and take her on," she finally explained. "Who was going to believe a group of rich people all telling the same lie over some troubled teenager on the run from her own family? I stand by running away and starting a new life somewhere else."

Charlie sighed. She had a point.

"Sorry," she said. "I just... it's a lot to get my head around. I'm probably not reacting very well."

"Should I go?" Joey asked meekly.

Charlie looked up sharply, struck by the pain in Joey's voice and expression.

"No!" she said desperately, reaching out to hold her close.

Joey felt comforted and allowed herself to snuggle against the woman she loved more than anything else in the world.

"It was my own fault really," she said sadly. "I should never have agreed to be her toy. It doesn't really scream 'self-respect', does it?"

"Whether you should have been with her or not is irrelevant. She abused you, Joey."

"I guess."

"There's no 'I guess' about it," Charlie said firmly. "She abused you. She deserved to lose a hell of a lot more than a necklace."

Joey shifted her position and looked at Charlie. She could hardly believe she had parted with her deepest, darkest secret. And she could hardly believe that Charlie wasn't rejecting her for it.

"I guess you want to know about the six domestics too?" Joey asked.

"Eventually," Charlie said.

She stroked Joey's cheek tenderly.

"I'm guessing you probably need a break from talking about this kind of thing."

Joey nodded gratefully.

"Just so long as you know that I didn't steal anything," she said. "Hiding it was probably pretty cruel of me but..."

"You don't need to keep explaining," Charlie said soothingly, stroking her hair.

"Your Dad's not going to be quite as easy to placate," Joey pointed out.

"We'll deal with him later."

"I'm sorry for being so complicated."

"I wouldn't have you any other way," Charlie said softly. "I just wish I'd known you then. I would have done anything to help you out of that situation."

Joey smiled gratefully. She placed a single kiss on Charlie's lips. Charlie held her closer, never wanting to let her go. Joey always appeared so confident and capable, like nothing could hurt her. She was clearly a master at masking pain. Charlie couldn't bear to even consider what those people had done to her precious Joey. How could they have hurt her? How could they have treated her so abysmally? She sighed heavily and shut her eyes.

"Charlie?" Joey asked, nudging her gently.

"Sorry," Charlie said, her voice cracking. "I just... the thought of you being hurt like that. It's..."

A couple of tears escaped her eyes.

"How do you get over something like that?" she asked.

"You just do," Joey said quietly. "What other choice is there?"

She wiped Charlie's tears away.

"I chose not to think about it," she elaborated. "I just put it away and got on with my life. It really freaked me out when I met you the first time because I'd never developed feelings for anyone after that. I mean, I was fond of people. I liked them. But from the moment I saw you, I was captivated. And I thought it was just going to be a one night stand. And in some ways, it was, but I never forgot you after that first night, Charlie. One night and I was crazy about you. It scared me because I'd never felt like that before. It's pathetic but I looked for you every single night in the club. I hoped so much that you'd come back but you never did."

"I did," Charlie admitted. "Once. But you weren't working so I took it as a sign that I should give up and stop thinking about you. Dad was doing his hypothetical lectures, although obviously now we know he knew more than he was letting on."

"A hell of a lot more."

"I'm sorry about how he treated you tonight, Joey."

"It's hardly your fault."

"And I'm sorry I didn't stick up for you as much as I should have."

"You did your best."

"All I want to do with my life is love you and protect you," Charlie said.

Joey smiled, thinking not for the first time that all the bad things had been worth it if it meant that she could spend the rest of her life with Charlie.

"Same here," she said.

They kissed tenderly, searching for each other's souls.

"So, what are we going to do about your Dad?" Joey asked anxiously.

"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Charlie said. "Let's just stay here tonight. I'll call Ruby and let her know everything is okay."

"And everything definitely is okay?" Joey checked.

"You don't get rid of me that easily," Charlie told her.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Joey woke up in the morning after a fitful sleep. Charlie was still unconscious. Joey gazed into her face, still surprised that they'd survived the latest drama. Charlie had held her all night, making her feel safe. And Joey in turn had kept a tight hold of her, wanting to protect her from her own feelings about what had happened in the past. She ran a fingertip up and down Charlie's arm and kissed her shoulder. Charlie stirred but didn't wake. Joey lay still, not wanting to disturb her. She settled her head on Charlie's chest, reliving the past for what felt like the hundredth time in the last few hours. She surprised herself by crying quietly. She had never cried over it before. She hardly cried at all and had been certain she didn't have the emotional capacity. But here she was, sobbing into Charlie's cleavage. She felt Charlie wake beneath her and felt guilty for making her skin and t-shirt wet. Charlie blinked a few times, recognised how tearful Joey was and became immediately alert and concerned.

"Joey?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Joey insisted. "I don't know where that came from."

Charlie held her close and they lay in silence.

***

They fell back to sleep again, only waking when Charlie's mobile began to ring. Startled, Charlie fumbled around on the bedside table to locate it. 'Dad' flashed up on the screen. She sighed, really not wanting to talk to him. Joey looked at her curiously. Charlie answered the phone.

"Hi, Dad," she said heavily.

She felt Joey physically deflate against her.

"Charlie, I think we need to talk some more," Ross told his daughter.

"Are you going to accept that Joey and I are together?" Charlie asked.

"Even after what I told you about her last night?"

"She's explained exactly what happened and it's so far away from what you accused her of that it's not even funny."

"I'm not comfortable with you and her, Charlie."

"Really? You're hiding it well," Charlie shot back sarcastically.

"You can do better."

"Nobody can do better than the best thing that's ever happened to them."

Joey listened to Charlie's half of the conversation and was moved by how firmly Charlie declared her love. They had come a long way since that kiss in the Diner.

"Let's talk," Ross finally agreed. "The three of us."

"Hang on," she said.

She asked Joey whether she'd be willing to talk. Joey nodded uncertainly.

"We'll meet you back at the house this afternoon."

Ross agreed and Charlie said goodbye.

***

Joey, Charlie and Ross sat down together. The atmosphere was beyond tense. Joey sat so close to Charlie that she may as well have been on her lap, but it was purely out of vulnerability. She couldn't meet Ross's eyes.

"I may not have handled it very well yesterday," Ross finally said.

"No kidding," Charlie snapped.

"It's not easy for a father to realise that their child is never going to get married, provide grandchildren and generally do all the normal things one expects."

"I'm gay, not infertile," Charlie pointed out.

"You wouldn't really consider having children in a lesbian relationship?" Ross sputtered.

Charlie shrugged.

"I haven't really thought about it. I'm just saying that it's not impossible."

"It wouldn't be fair on the child."

"To have two parents who'll love it unconditionally and never fail to make time for it?"

The question was loaded. All three of them knew that Charlie resented her father never having time for her when she was younger. He'd lavished attention on Ruby, but never Charlie. He had very different relationships with his two girls. Ross looked away, not wanting to follow that discussion route. Joey stayed quiet.

"So, how long have you been together?" Ross asked.

"A couple of weeks," Charlie said.

"All this for a two-week fling?" he demanded.

"It's not a fling!"

"Mr Buckton," Joey piped up. "I've been in love with your daughter from the first moment I met her. We really are in this for the long haul."

Ross frowned.

"So you're not the girl my background check makes you out to be?" he asked.

Joey shook her head.

"I know I've been involved in a handful of incidents but I don't have a criminal record and I don't deserve one. I never stole from Janine Fox. I did hide the necklace in her house. I admit that and if it'd help my case, I'll tell you where. But I didn't steal anything."

"And there were mitigating circumstances," Charlie added.

"Such as?"

"It's private," Charlie said firmly. "But that woman deserved it."

"What about the other situations you've been involved in?"

"If you look into them all, I was the victim. Well, except once but that was just a really loud argument with someone. We got told off for being noisy. We were just arguing loudly. It wasn't that either of us had done anything wrong," Joey explained.

"I'm sorry, Joey, but you can only be a victim so many times before you need to start looking at yourself and figuring out what you do to provoke such reactions to you."

"Hey!" Charlie said defensively. "Take that back. That isn't fair."

Ross shrugged and changed the conversation topic.

"Charlie, why is this happening?" he asked. "I thought you'd been cured of all this years ago."

"It's not a disease, Dad. You can't be cured. I did try not to be this way. I threw myself into relationships with men because it felt like the right thing to do. And I probably would have carried on if Joey hadn't shown up. But when you find your soul mate, how can you prevent something happening? And why should you have to?"

"Because... because it's not natural!"

"It feels natural to me," Charlie said.

"So, what, I've just got to like it or lump it?" Ross asked.

"I wouldn't phrase it exactly like that but, yeah. Joey and I aren't going to split up, regardless of what you say. I've lost her twice before and I'm not letting her go this time."

"Twice?" Ross asked.

He only recalled Joey being in Charlie's life once before.

"We met again randomly in my final year of training," Charlie told him.

Ross frowned.

"I'm not happy about this, Charlie," he said. "And I don't think I can welcome Joey into the family. I have no idea how Ruby's accepted it so well."

"Because she saw past the gender aspect," Charlie explained. "She got to know Joey as a person and liked her and she recognised how happy she makes me."

"I don't even understand _how _two women can be together."

"I'm so not going down that road with you, Dad," Charlie warned.

"And what about Roman? He's such a nice man."

"He is. But all this aside, he didn't want me. He never really did. Dad, can't you just be happy that I've found someone so amazing instead of wishing I'd be with someone who could never make me happy? Joey treats me like a Princess. I've never felt so loved and joyful before. She makes my life complete."

Joey smiled to herself, pleased that she made Charlie feel that way, even if her Dad didn't like it.

"Just give me some time," Ross said finally. "It's not going to be easy to get my head around this."

"I know. But as long as you're willing to try, we can get through it. And if you'd give Joey a chance, you'll love her like Ruby does."

Ross didn't look convinced.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Charlie."

"I'd rather die than hurt Charlie," Joey said. "She means everything to me. All I need is a chance to prove that to you."

***

Ruby came home and found Charlie and Joey in the living room. She bounded straight into Joey's arms, nearly knocking her over.

"Are you okay? I'm really sorry about Dad. Did you work it out?" she asked hurriedly.

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about her family all day. She was desperately disappointed with how her Dad had handled the situation, making Joey out to be someone she wasn't and causing her to nearly bolt out of Charlie's life when they had only just found each other.

"I'm fine, Ruby. I promise. Everything's okay," Joey promised her.

"Did you two sort things out with Dad?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"We're tentatively working through it," Charlie said.

"Thank goodness!" Ruby said. "I never would have forgiven him if he'd have scared you away. Charlie's way nicer now that you two are together."

"Hey!" Charlie protested.

She gave up her temporary moodiness when she caught sight of Ruby's cheeky grin.

***

That evening, Charlie and Joey excused themselves early, preparing for an early night. Fully clothed and lying on the mattress, Joey joyfully lost herself in Charlie's kisses. She ran her hand over Charlie's back and side, resting on her hip. Charlie trailed her hand down from Joey's hair, along her arm and onto her breast where she quickly snapped it back and froze. Joey stopped offering kisses, pulling back, confused by Charlie's actions. She saw the worry in her eyes and sighed.

"I'm the same person I was two days ago when we were having sex in your car," Joey said sternly.

Charlie looked guilty. She couldn't help but be nervous of touching Joey now that she knew what she had been through. She was plagued with images of Joey not enjoying it, or having a difficult time with it and she didn't want to hurt her.

"Please, Charlie, don't freak out about this," Joey begged. "It happened seven years ago. I've recovered. I don't think about it anymore and I really couldn't bear for you to treat me like a victim, or like I'm fragile in some way."

Charlie nodded and resumed her kissing, although both women didn't fail to notice that her hand did not also resume its place. Frustrated, Joey grabbed Charlie's hand and put it back for her. Charlie couldn't help but giggle at Joey's direct approach.

"I'm not going to break," Joey promised. "Please don't treat me any differently than you have since we met."

Gaining confidence, Charlie kissed her harder and let her hands explore. Joey smiled in relief, pulling Charlie on top of her and beginning to fumble with her clothing.

"I love you," Charlie whispered as she left Joey's mouth to kiss her neck.

"I love you," Joey replied.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Two days later, Charlie was sure she had given her father enough time to get his head around things. They hadn't seen each other or spoken and it was starting to grate. She couldn't understand why her Dad just couldn't be happy for her. He'd led her to believe that he would try and get used to it but now he was refusing to take her calls and was mysteriously 'out' whenever she went round to see him. Determined to confront him about his avoidance tactics, and suddenly realising where she inherited that particular personality trait from, Charlie arrived at Roman's so early that there was no way he couldn't be out of the house. And she wasn't going to take 'he's asleep' for an answer either. She knocked hard on the door. Several minutes later, a half naked Roman answered the door, looking sleepy.

"Hi, sorry to be here so early," she said politely. "Can I speak to my Dad?"

"He's asleep," Roman told her. "Just like I was. You do realise that it's seven o'clock on Sunday morning?"

Charlie nodded and apologised again.

"Please can you wake him up?" she asked urgently.

Seeing that his morning visitor was not going away, Roman sighed and stepped aside so she could enter the house. He gestured for her to sit down while he called her father. Five minutes later, Ross appeared, looking grouchy. Charlie stood up.

"What are you doing here so early?" he asked, unimpressed.

"Well, you avoided every attempt to see you yesterday so I thought I'd catch you unawares," his daughter replied.

Ross frowned and sat down on the couch. She perched next to him.

"Charlie, I don't know if there's anything more to say."

"You promised that you'd try with us," Charlie told him. "And avoiding us isn't trying."

"I'm doing my best to get my head around all this, Charlie. Seeing you two kissing and groping isn't going to help at this stage."  
"As if we'd do anything like that in front of you!" Charlie protested.

"Well, I don't know, do I? I don't know what you're like together. I don't even know who you are anymore," Ross said.

"I'm still the same person, Dad," Charlie insisted.

"I just need some time."

"Please, would you and Morag come to dinner tonight?" she asked. "We can do it properly this time. You can get to know Joey and we can all try and have a nice evening together."

Ross looked hesitant.

"Please?"

Charlie didn't care if she was begging. She needed to make things right between her and her father. They had always had a somewhat turbulent relationship but before he and Morag had gone away on their honeymoon, she had really believed they were getting somewhere. She couldn't bear to let that break so soon.

"Fine," he agreed reluctantly. "But don't expect me to suddenly like her or what you two are doing together."

Charlie nodded. That was enough for now.

***

Alf smiled at Morag as she entered the Surf Club looking grim.

"You're here early!" he commented.

"A certain step-daughter arrived at seven in the morning to plead with her father to come round to dinner with her and her lesbian lover," Morag said, leaning against the bar.

Alf nodded.

"Joey really is a nice girl, you know," he said.

"Do you know her well?"

"Yeah, she works behind the bar," Alf explained. "Always polite and friendly. She's bright, funny, helpful and kind. And if you don't mind me saying so, she's completely transformed Charlie's life."

"Obviously!"

"No, I mean, the angry, bad-mannered woman we all first met has completely gone," Alf said. "Since she and Joey got together, I swear she hasn't stopped smiling. They really are happy together."

Morag looked thoughtful.

"Ross is taking it very hard," she said.

"Well, I suppose it's not easy to find out that your child doesn't fit social norms. But you know, the only thing that makes this whole thing difficult is people not accepting her. If you and Ross could make the effort to cope with them being a couple, all the anguish would go away."

"I don't really care one way or the other to be perfectly honest," Morag admitted. "It's my husband that can't cope."

"So, are you going round to dinner?" Alf asked.

"He's agreed reluctantly," Morag said. "So, this Joey really is a nice person? Ross seems to think she's an undesirable. But then, he could be biased."

"Would I have employed her if I didn't think she was nice?"

***

Ross entered the Diner. He'd gone for a walk to clear his head and was getting ready to have breakfast with Morag. He glanced at his watch. His wife would be meeting him in five minutes. The walk hadn't really helped much. His head felt no clearer than it had before he'd set out. All he could think about was Charlie and Joey. He'd been happy when Charlie had started dating Roman. There was a nice man, with a good job, responsible and kind; a gentleman. He was sure that if only they had tried harder, they could have made it work. Charlie had insisted that she hadn't left Roman for Joey but the timing made it a little suspicious. What did Charlie see in that girl anyway? Why couldn't they just be best friends instead of lovers? He was certain that two women couldn't achieve anything satisfying. And what kind of life did they think they would have together? Despite the mitigating circumstances that Charlie insisted were present, as far as he knew, Joey Collins was a rough character, who never stayed in the same place and frequently got herself into trouble. No, she couldn't make his Charlie happy. Charlie was a good girl, an upstanding member of society; she was going places, to the top of the police force. She didn't need some girl holding her back. Even he had to admit that she had never had particularly successful relationships with men. Her high school boyfriend had turned out to be gay, she'd been cheated on a couple of times, bullied once and the rest of them had just fizzled out. But just because she had had bad experiences, it didn't mean that she had to turn into a lesbian.

"Hello there!" Colleen greeted pleasantly when he approached the counter to order coffees for himself and Morag.

"Have you had a nice trip?"

"Yes, it was lovely. Thank you."

"Bit of a shock to come back to, I suppose," Colleen said, nodding knowingly.

Ross swallowed. He did not want to talk about this, especially with the town's gossip. He ignored her, hoping she would drop the conversation.

"I mean, we were all stunned when Charlie kissed that Joey girl in front of everyone," she continued.

Ross sighed.

"I mean, it was right over there!"

She pointed to the middle of the room.

"And they've been inseparable since," Colleen added. "You never seem to see one without the other. And they don't stop holding hands!"

She spoke with such scandal that Ross became infuriated.

"I mean, no offence but it's a bit abnormal, isn't it?"

As much as he agreed, he felt protective of his eldest daughter.

"Girls and girls... well, it's this crazy modern fad that's getting out of control."

"Who my daughter chooses to sleep with is no concern of yours, Colleen!" he snapped. "Now, can I just have my two coffees, please?"

Colleen frowned and busied herself with the drinks. Ross turned and smiled when he heard Morag approach.

"Ready to face the day?" she asked.

***

Joey was nervous while she, Charlie and Ruby waited for Ross and Morag to arrive. She felt like she was about to face the mafia rather than dinner with the parents. Sensing Joey's concern, Charlie approached and slipped her arms around Joey' waist. She kissed her lightly on the mouth, promising that everything would be okay. Joey tried to smile but Charlie saw that it didn't reach her eyes. Joey felt sick with nerves and Charlie wasn't faring much better. Only Ruby was perky.

"Guys, everything's going to be fine," she insisted. "Dad's going to come round to the idea of you two. He will. He loves you, Charlie. And well, everyone loves Joey so Dad and Morag will too."

Charlie chuckled and hugged Joey closer.

"See, everyone loves you!" she grinned.

Joey was a little more successful with her smile this time but her palms were still sweating and her legs still felt like jelly. Everyone looked up when they heard the familiar sound of people coming through the open door. Ross and Morag appeared in the living room. Ruby greeted them with a hug. Charlie wasn't sure what to do or say.

"Thanks for coming," she said shyly.

Morag beamed at her.

"Thank you for inviting us," she said. "Now, let's make sure this dinner goes better than the last one."

Joey was frozen in place.

"Shall we sit?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, let's." Ross said.

He and Morag sat down and Ruby sat beside them.

"We'll get serving," Charlie said.

She grabbed Joey's hand and let her into the kitchen, knowing she wasn't going to move on her own. In the kitchen, Charlie and Joey busied themselves with getting all the food together. Right before they were about to bring it into the living room to their guests, Charlie grabbed Joey's hand and pulled her close.

"Everything is going to be fine," she assured her, giving her a quick kiss.

Feeling a little less tense, Joey followed Charlie. They set the plates down and joined the silent table.

"So, Joey, Alf tells me you work behind the bar at the Surf Club," Morag said, desperate to break the tension.

Joey nodded.

"Yeah, I've been there for a few weeks," she said.

"Do you not want to do anything more with your life?" Ross asked.

Joey faltered, glancing at Charlie.

"Joey's doing just fine," Charlie said defensively.

"But don't you have any ambition beyond being a barmaid?"

"Um... I don't know. I mean, my dream job would be running a boat but for now I'm pretty happy where I am."

"Don't you feel inferior, dating a Senior Constable with the police force?"

His questions were relentless.

"Dad!" Charlie snapped.

"Not really," Joey answered. "Charlie doesn't make me feel that way at all. I admire what she does for a living but that kind of job wouldn't really suit me."

"I guess with your lifestyle," Ross agreed. "I mean, you don't tend to stay in one place for very long."

Joey sighed. He really had studied her. She knew that Charlie's father was hoping she wouldn't stay in Summer Bay for any longer than she had anywhere else. But she also knew that wherever Charlie was, so she would be.

"I like to travel," she replied simply.

"So, is this a stop gap for you before you head on out somewhere else?" Morag asked.

Joey didn't object to her questions. She was kinder than her husband.

"No, I think this is the place that I'm going to stay," Joey said. "As long as Charlie's here, I'll be here too."

Charlie smiled happily.

"Aw," Ruby teased. "How cute!"  
Ross didn't look so amused.

"What do your parents do?" he asked.

"Dad, could you stop interrogating her, please?" Charlie asked.

"I am just trying to get to know your... girlfriend."

"It's fine," Joey said. "My father's a fisherman and my mother works in a nursery. My brother's a mechanic, if you wanted to know."

"A lack of ambition runs in the family, I see," Ross said.

"Dad!" Ruby protested. "Not everyone in the world is a cop. And it doesn't mean they're less than you and Charlie."

Ross looked sufficiently chastised. Charlie was proud of her sister and Joey was grateful.

"So, where are your family now?" Ross asked, not giving up.

"They're still in my hometown. I don't really see them," Joey explained.

"And why's that?"

"Because my father and brother are homophobic and made me miserable for most of my life," Joey said, her patience wearing thin. "They can't accept who I am so we had no choice but to separate."

Ross couldn't help but feel sorry for her, and worry that something like this might happen to him and Charlie.

"So, anyway, tell us about your honeymoon," Charlie said cheerfully, wanting to take the heat off Joey.

***

An hour later, the atmosphere was a little more relaxed. Ross and Morag had shared stories of their trip and Ruby had told them all about how she was doing at school and about her new boyfriend, Xavier.

"So, Charlie, how's work?" Morag asked.

"Yeah, it's great," Charlie enthused. "I've got a temporary promotion while Fitzy's away."

"Oh, that's great!" Ross said. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks."

"That really is great news," Morag said.

"Charlie always was ambitious," Ross told Joey.

She chose to ignore the loaded statement.

"Hey, do you remember when she was ten and she put a flashing light on her bike and rode around making siren noises, pretending to be a police officer?" Ruby giggled.

Charlie looked horrified. Joey looked amused.

"I didn't do that!" Charlie lied.

"You so did!"

"We have photographic evidence," Ross reminded her.

Joey chuckled at her partner's embarrassment.

"Oh and when she 'arrested' that boy at school for bullying one of her friends!" Ruby recalled.

"Can we stop talking about things I did when I was a kid?" Charlie begged.

"No way, this is fun," Joey grinned.

She calmed down for the first time that night.

"It's really not," Charlie frowned.

"Well, she always was pretty feisty," Ross agreed.

"Nothing changes there then!" Morag commented.

"I'm not... Okay, I am. I can't help it. I take after Dad."

"We love you just the way you are," Joey promised.

She caught herself too late and fretted about being affectionate with Charlie in front of her Dad. Charlie didn't notice the fact that her father could take the comment the wrong way; she just smiled. Joey cast a nervous glance in Ross's direction and saw that he was looking at her thoughtfully, rather than being horrified. It occurred to him for the first time that Charlie and Joey really did love each other.

"Hey, Joey, if you want to hear any embarrassing stories about Charlie, you just let me know. I've got plenty!"

"No, that's really okay," Charlie said sternly.

"Go for your life," Joey encouraged.

"Well, one time, she nearly burnt down the house trying to bake a cake," Ruby revealed.

"And when she was a teenager she went through a terrible angst phase and painted her room black," Ross added.

Charlie smiled at her father's ability to join in; even if it was to reveal incidents she'd rather Joey didn't know about.

"I remember that!" Ruby said. "I thought that was so cool."

"Yeah, you tried to get me to agree to let you copy," Ross said. "I was so glad you were only six and couldn't access paint for yourself."

Joey smiled, wishing that she had known Charlie back then. She'd met her for the first time when they had been twenty-one and twenty-two years old.

"Just so you know, my cooking skills and my taste in decoration have improved," Charlie told Joey.

***

"Thank you for a lovely evening," Morag said when Charlie, Ruby and Joey showed her and Ross to the door.

"It was lovely to see you," Charlie said.

Ross hugged both his daughters goodbye. He looked at Joey, who was feeling awkward again. Taking a breath, he reached out to shake her hand. Touched by the gesture, she smiled at him. They said their goodbyes and the second Ross and Morag were gone, Joey collapsed into Charlie's arms with a dramatic groan.

"It went well!" Ruby enthused.

"It did," Charlie agreed. "We got through dinner. Nobody died. And Dad shook your hand! That's progress."

Joey nodded, still holding onto Charlie.

"We're getting somewhere," she said.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Ruby declared.

Charlie and Joey, still linked, followed her into the living room, also ready to go to bed.

"Hey, if he shook my hand, does that mean I'm the guy?" Joey wondered.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter-Twenty-Five**

Charlie was up and out early the following morning. She kissed Joey goodbye and smiled at her sleepy little grumble as she rolled over, still engaged in dreams. She arrived early to work. Angelo arrived not so long after her.

"So, what's on the agenda today, Senior Constable?" he asked cheerfully, leaning against the reception desk.

"We're patrolling," Charlie told him with the hint of a sigh.

Patrolling with Angelo was somewhere between irritating and entertaining. She was certain that he would ask several questions about Joey. He hadn't had a proper opportunity since they'd come out.

"Great!" he said enthusiastically. "I have a tonne of questions to ask you."

***

When Joey finally climbed out of bed, she started on the dishes right away, feeling bad that Leah would have had to make breakfast for herself and VJ in the mess she, Ruby and Charlie had left behind. She smiled to herself, remembering Ross shaking her hand the previous night. It had been a simple gesture but it had meant the world. And he'd even spoken to her directly on several occasions. It definitely felt like an improvement and she had hope that things could move on from there.

"Hey, Joey," Ruby said brightly, entering the room.

"Oh, hey," Joey greeted. "What are you up to today?"

Ruby gestured to her school uniform with a grimace. Joey chuckled.

"Have fun!"

"Yeah, right," Ruby said. "How about you?"

"I've got the day off," Joey said happily. "I'm taking Charlie to lunch and then I'm heading for a nice, long, exhausting workout."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have more fun than me!"

Joey smiled. She always had fun when Charlie was around. It felt like they completed each other.

"Hey, Joey," Ruby said before she left the house, "I just wanted to say that I'm really glad you're part of the family."

Joey stopped washing dishes and turned to face her lover's little sister.

"Thank you, Ruby," she said, beaming.

"I think you're really cool," Ruby continued. "And in all my life, I've never seen Charlie so happy."

Joey smiled wider.

"That really means a lot to me," she said sincerely. "I've never been so happy either. She's pretty much the centre of my universe."

Ruby smiled.

"Well, I'd better head out. I just wanted you to know."

She waved and skipped out of the door. Joey continued smiling and returned to the dishes.

***

Angelo arrived back in the car with two hot coffees. Charlie accepted hers gratefully, opening the top and blowing to cool it down.

"So, tell all!" Angelo ordered.

"About what?" Charlie asked, although she already knew the answer.

"You and Joey!" Angelo said, exasperated.

Charlie grinned and shook her head.

"You are not getting any naughty details," she told him firmly.

He frowned.

"Please? Just one thing!"

Charlie shook her head again.

"No way."

"Okay, nothing naughty," he said. "When did you get together?"

"A few weeks ago, but we had a thing a couple of times before," Charlie admitted.

"A thing?"

"A one night stand three years ago and a weekend together eighteen months back."

She felt confused as to why she was revealing such information. She sipped her coffee, although it was still a little too hot.

"Dirty nights, huh?" Angelo said, nodding.

Charlie could hardly deny it. While she wouldn't particularly describe them as dirty, that had been thrilling, passionate, spontaneous and somewhat naughty. They had been amazing. They still were. Joey was the most incredible lover she had ever had. She seemed to know her body so well, tune into her thoughts and what she desired. And she adored her, making her feel like the most special woman on earth.

"So, is it still hot and kinky now that you're all coupled up?" Angelo asked.

"You'll never know," Charlie assured him.

"I think you're very mean not to give me details," he told her.

The radio sprung to life, calling them to a mugging not so far away. Charlie immediately started the engine, driving forward.

"Definitely mean," Angelo continued.

"Okay, Joey is the hottest, most beautiful and passionate woman in the world, inside and outside the bedroom," she said.

They pulled up quickly, spotting a woman sitting miserably on the edge of the road. She looked shaken and it was easy to assume she was their victim. Both officers bolted out of the car.

"Hi," Charlie said gently.

The tearful young woman, who Charlie would assume to be around twenty-three, looked up at them. Charlie crouched down.

"Are you the person who called the police?" Charlie asked kindly.

The girl nodded.

"Well, I'm Senior Constable Buckton and this is my colleague, Constable Rossetta. We're here to help."

"Some guy stole my bag," the girl said. "I've only just arrived in town. He took everything I have, except my phone."

"Well, we can cancel your cards and hopefully track him down and get your belongings back to you," Charlie told her.

"It had pictures of my girlfriend in it," the girl said sadly. "That's all I have left of her."

Charlie visualised Joey and considered the idea of only having photographs of her. She instantly empathised with the victim.

"What's your name?" Charlie asked.

"Jennifer Tudor," the girl told her.

"Okay, Jennifer, how about we give you a lift back to the station so that you can give us all the details? And we'll do our best to catch the guy who did this to you, alright?"

Jennifer nodded and let Charlie guide her to her feet and into the back of the car. Angelo followed silently.

***

Joey headed to the police station to collect Charlie for lunch. She stopped smiling as soon as she saw her partner talking to a woman at the reception desk. Her blood turned cold at the familiar form of the girl who had harassed her and chased her out of town in panic. She stood stock still, her lip quivering as she struggled with what to say. Charlie looked up and waved.

"I'll be right with you," she said.

Skip turned around and gazed at Joey, her eyes lighting up.

"Charlie, what the hell are you doing?" Joey managed.

Charlie looked bewildered, catching the way Joey glared at her mugging victim. She jolted back to life when she saw Joey turn and flee. She glanced awkwardly at Jennifer, turned to Angelo and told him to finish the statement. She hurried after Joey, catching up with her as she ran along the road. She touched Joey's arm. Joey spun around, her eyes burning into Charlie's.

"How could you even talk to her?" she bellowed.

Charlie still looked confused.

"She was a mugging victim," she explained. "What's the problem. Who…?"

Suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Joey, I'm sorry," Charlie said. "I didn't know. I didn't realise."

Joey felt guilty. Of course Charlie hadn't known. Skip would have given her real name, not the nickname she'd gone by since she was a child. Obviously Charlie wouldn't have twigged. She'd never seen her. Joey hadn't even described her. How could she have known?

"Of course you didn't," Joey said, meaning it.

Charlie reached out for her hands.

"I have to go," Joey said.

"Yeah, let's get lunch," Charlie said, nodding.

"No, I mean, I have to go. I can't stay in this town while she's here, Charlie."

"Joey, you can't run away. Go back in there, make a statement and we'll get a restraining order. We can sort this out. You don't have to leave."

Joey looked torn.

"Please don't leave me," Charlie begged. "Especially not for her."

Joey chewed her lip, glancing around fretfully.

"I can't let her ruin my life again."

"Exactly. Running away isn't going to help, Joey."

"I don't know what to do," Joey admitted.

Charlie pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"You don't have to be scared," she promised. "I'm here to protect you. I won't let her hurt you, I swear."

***

Joey curled up in Charlie arms early that night, clinging to her as tightly she could. She'd decided not to make a statement and take out an order against her. She'd opted to let it go and hope that Skip wouldn't start again. If she approached her, Joey planned on telling her firmly one last time that she wanted nothing to do with her. And if Skip didn't accept that, she'd take it from there. She wasn't ready to be aggressive about her fear and need to get rid of her stalker. Charlie hadn't been thrilled but she'd agreed to follow Joey's lead and taken herself off the mugging case, handing it over permanently to Angelo.

"You think I'm doing the wrong thing, don't you?" Joey said.

"I just know how afraid you are," Charlie said. "Wouldn't you feel better knowing she had to stay away from you?"

"I don't think a piece of paper would make a difference."

Charlie sighed, hugging her closer.

"Hey, let's go away for a few days," she suggested. "I'll have to give work some notice but in a couple of days, we could take off, spend some time together. Maybe if she doesn't see you around town for a few days she'll get bored and leave."

Joey nodded. Neither of them believed Skip would give up so easily but some time away sounded wonderful. Charlie smiled and placed a kiss on Joey's cheek. Joey encouraged their lips to meet and relaxed at Charlie's touch when her fingers began to stroke her face and shoulders. She enjoyed the now familiar sensation of Charlie's hand slipping down and under her t-shirt, cupping her breast and tracing patterns over it, making her whole body feel alive and alert. They kissed harder as Charlie explored the surface of Joey's body. She gently eased Joey onto her back, kissing her one more time.

"Is this okay?" she asked carefully. "I know you're stressed out."

"I can't think of a better way to calm down," Joey replied, kissing her again and wrapping her legs round Charlie's hips.

"I'll kiss all your cares away," she promised, doing just that.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Skip woke up early. She walked across the caravan park and took a shower. Returning, she dressed and put everything back in its place. She liked to keep things immaculate. Having ensured that everything was perfectly tidy, she took her keys and headed to the police station, where she hoped her bag would have been returned. Her money and all her pictures of Joey were in there. It had been hard to survive a night without them. She replayed the moment she had seen Joey again in her mind. She'd been talking to the attractive policewoman when Joey had arrived, a vision of beauty. In fact, Skip was certain she had become even more beautiful than she was last time they'd seen each other, if that was even possible. She had this incredible glow about her. She chose to ignore the fact that the glow had faded the moment Joey had clapped eyes on her. It was hard to take. They had once been so close and Skip was certain that she could make Joey happy if only she would give her a chance.

***

Joey started her shift and acted cheerful. She served customers, fearing that everyone entering the Surf Club was going to turn out to be Skip. The fact that she hadn't made her move yet was enough to make her nervous. She almost wanted the woman to show up and confront her.

"Hi, Joey," said a male voice.

Joey looked up sharply. Ross approached the bar.

"Oh, hi Mr Buckton," she said, trying to sound comfortable.

"How are you?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty good, thanks. And you?"

"I'm fine."

"Can I get you a drink?" Joey offered.

"An orange juice, please."

Joey served it quickly and accepted his money.

"I just thought I should try and get to know you a little better," Ross said.

"That would be nice," Joey agreed.

She glanced at the door fretfully when someone else entered but it was just a group of guys.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ross asked, noticing.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Joey lied.

The last thing she needed was to tell her girlfriend's father about her psychotic stalker. That probably wouldn't go down well.

"So, you really love my Charlie, do you?" he asked.

"I really do, Sir."

His mouth twitched. He still wasn't sure he was happy about this.

"You know she's had a hard time with men in the past," Ross said.

"I do."

"She's been cheated on a few times," Ross said. "She always picks people who aren't good for her. And she ended up in an awful relationship a few years back. If it wasn't for her own strength of character, she could have become a battered girlfriend."

Joey looked alarmed but said nothing.

"And as much as I like Roman, it turns out that he never treated her quite right."

"I know," Joey said quietly. "She told me about it at the time – before she and I got together."

"When you were just friends?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So, you cared about her even then?" Ross asked. "You were a good friend to her, yes?"

"I like to think so," Joey said. "I've tried to be supportive of her. And I know you think it's different to what we've told you but I promise I never pressured Charlie to be with me. There's just something overwhelming between us."

Ross nodded.

"And you'll never betray her?"

"Never. All I want to do is spend the rest of my life making her happy."

"You won't try and control her or make her feel bad about herself?"

"I couldn't control her even if I wanted to. Which I don't. I love how independent she is. I love that she and I are two whole people in a relationship. I really don't like the idea of two halves making a whole. I'm my own person and so is Charlie. That's one of the best things about us."

"So, do you see yourselves moving in together and settling down?" Ross asked.

"I hope so," Joey nodded. "I don't want to rush anything but I want Charlie and I to be together forever. From the first moment I met her, I loved her. She's the most amazing person I've ever known."

***

Skip approached the reception desk of the police station. The woman from yesterday looked up. She didn't smile.

"Hi," Skip said.

"Hello, Ms Tudor," Charlie said as politely as possible.

She looked around for Angelo but he was nowhere to be found.

"Did you find my bag?"

"Yes, we did," Charlie said.

"The money and your phone was gone but everything else appears to be there. Can you describe what was inside so that we can confirm it belongs to you?"

"Sure," Skip said. "It was a black handbag. Aside from my purse, I had a pink make-up bag, a blue hairbrush and an envelope of photographs of my girlfriend. She's got…"

"That's enough," Charlie said quickly.

She did not want to hear Skip describe Joey. Looking at the photographs, most of which had been taken while Joey was unaware, and hearing that Skip was describing her as her girlfriend made her shudder. She handed the bag over.

"Thank you, Constable," Skip said happily.

She left quickly and delved into her bag, looking for the photographs. Back at the station, Charlie frowned. She had been very tempted not to give the photos back. She hated the idea of permitting this weirdo to perve over her girlfriend.

***

Joey was already home when Charlie got back. Charlie found her running a bath. She slipped her arms around Joey's waist. Joey jumped in surprise and nearly fell into the tub. Charlie caught her and turned her round, drawing her into her arms and kissing her.

"You startled me!" Joey said with a laugh.

"A thousand apologies," Charlie grinned, kissing her again.

Joey turned back around and tested the bath water. Satisfied, she turned off the taps and began stripping off. Charlie watched, fascinated as if she'd never seen her body before.

"Can I keep you company?" Charlie asked.

"You can get in if you like," Joey said invitingly.

Charlie began removing her clothes before Joey had even finished her sentence.

***

Charlie leant back against Joey's body as they sank under the water. She loved the feel of Joey's breasts pressing into her back and the way their legs intertwined in order to be comfortable. She also thoroughly enjoyed the way Joey ran a lazy hand up and down her torso, getting delightfully low.

"So, how was your day?" Charlie asked, leaning her head back to look at Joey, who rewarded her with a kiss.

"It was fine. No stalker. I had an interesting conversation with your Dad actually."

"My Dad?"

"Yeah, he came into the Surf Club to make sure I had good intentions for his daughter," Joey grinned.

"And do you?" Charlie asked.

"Mostly," Joey said, her voice low.

Her hands continued running along Charlie's body, getting ever lower.

"Some of them might not quite be so honourable," she added.

"Really?" Charlie asked. "Which ones?"

Joey's hand reached its destination.

***

A while later, Charlie stretched out her foot to turn the hot tap on again. The water had long since gone cold but neither woman wanted to get out just yet. She then flipped round so that she and Joey were face to face, body to body. She kissed her.

"How do you do those things to me?" she asked.

"Do you need another demonstration?"

They both giggled.

"I mean it," Charlie said. "You drive me wild. I've never reacted to somebody the way I have with you. It's like you know me so completely, everything that I like, everything that I love."

Joey blushed. Charlie planted gentle kisses on her lips, cheek and neck.

"You're actually perfect."

Joey blushed more. Charlie lowered her mouth and eased her hand between their bodies.

"Perfect," she said again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Charlie and Joey arrived at the hotel and let themselves into their room.

"This is lovely!" Joey said. "Charlie, how much did you pay for this?"

She wandered round the large room, which was almost a small apartment. There was a bedroom area with a king size bed. There was small kitchen area with a microwave, kettle and toaster and in between the 'bedroom' and 'kitchen' there was a luxurious and comfortable looking sofa.

"Doesn't matter," Charlie said. "I figured we should get a good room considering I'm planning on spending very little time outside it."

She smiled seductively, causing Joey to walk back to her. She draped her arms over Charlie's shoulders and kissed her, thinking that she really did have the best girlfriend in the world.

"Are you planning on seducing me?" Joey asked when they finished their kiss.

"I think it's a bit late for that," Charlie replied.

She kissed her again and guided her backwards towards the bed. Without letting their lips part, Charlie set to work on Joey's clothes. She made quick work of them, being careful to adore every part of her body.

Two hours later, the women lay side by side on top of the blankets, exhausted.

"You know, we get better every single time," Joey giggled.

"We do," Charlie agreed. "I wonder what the limit is."

Joey turned on her side and held Charlie close.

"There are no limits," she said certainly, kissing her.

"I think it's time to order room service," Charlie murmured.

"So, we're really not leaving this room at all?" Joey realised.

"Nope!"

Charlie and Joey sat in dressing gowns on the couch eating dinner and drinking wine.

"Did you find Skip's bag?" Joey asked, surprising Charlie, who didn't respond.

"Come on, one of us had to mention why we're here," Joey said gently.

Charlie smiled.

"She came in yesterday," she admitted.

Joey sighed.

"Maybe she'll have moved on by the time we get back home," Charlie said hopefully.

"I doubt it. If she worked this hard to track me down then I don't think she'll be giving up so quickly."

Charlie frowned, thinking about the photographs. Joey tried to read her tense expression.

"What is it?" Joey asked.

"Nothing," Charlie lied.

"Charlie…"

"She was carrying around photographs of you, calling you her girlfriend."

Joey nearly choked on her food.

"Did you look at the pictures?" she asked.

Charlie nodded.

"I don't remember posing for any. Well, maybe I did the first night we met," Joey said thoughtfully.

"To be honest, a lot of them were taken without your knowledge by the look of it," Charlie admitted unhappily.

"Great!" Joey replied, exasperated.

She threw her head back in defeat.

"So, can we move here?" Joey asked.

Charlie chuckled. She put her plate down on the small coffee table in front of them. She then took Joey's plate away and leant across to snuggle against her.

"I promise I'll never let anyone hurt you," she whispered.

"I know," Joey said.

It was the most incredible feeling in the world to know that there was someone on her side, who wanted to take care of her. She had spent her whole life by herself, never trusting another person with her heart. But she had now given it completely to Charlie and it didn't frighten her in the slightest.

The following evening, Charlie and Joey were back in their hotel room. They had finally dragged themselves out, seen a few of the sights and enjoyed a wonderful lunch and then a wonderful dinner together. They had talked at length about Skip, although Joey had been very reluctant at first.

"I just hate living in constant panic," Joey sighed. "Afraid of what's going to happen next, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Charlie said. "It's not the same but I was with someone once who wasn't very pleasant."

"The guy who could have turned you into a battered girlfriend?" Joey asked.

Charlie looked stunned.

"Oh, sorry, your Dad mentioned it."

"Fabulous," Charlie frowned. "What other secrets did he spill?"

"Nothing. Just that you'd been cheated on a couple of times. But you already mentioned that."

Charlie sank down on the bed. Joey crawled up beside her and apologised for mentioning anything.

"It's fine," Charlie said. "I'm mad at my Dad for speaking, not you for listening."

"So, what happened?" Joey probed gently.

Charlie looked reluctant.

"Hey, come on, you know every single one of my deep, dark secrets now," Joey reminded her.

Charlie relented and sank back against the pillows.

"His name was Craig. We dated for six months and it ended a couple of months before you and I met again at the hotel," she said. "It was one of those situations where it started off so nicely. Everything he did was subtle. He never outright told me what to do and what not to do but he carefully manipulated the situation so I did everything his way regardless."

Joey nodded and reached out to hold Charlie's hand.

"He tried to stop me seeing my friends. I started feeling really down about myself, like I was no good. Retrospectively, I realise that he was feeding me those ideas but at the time, I didn't know why I was so depressed. Then, when he'd get drunk, he'd become really aggressive. I knew I could handle myself but my confidence was really suffering and he began to frighten me a little bit."

Joey felt sad. She hated to think of anyone hurting Charlie.

"The last straw came when he tried to get me to give up my police training. Being a cop was all I ever wanted to do with my life. I've never considered anything else. It's always been so important to me. When he asked me to give it up, I left him."

"Good!"

"He clung on for a while," Charlie explained. "He kept trying to win me back and was so full of apologies and promises that I almost gave in a couple of times. But finally I got rid of him."

"I'm glad. Nobody should ever treat you like that."

Joey slid closer to snuggle. Charlie welcomed her happily.

"Well, I guess those kind of experiences make you who you are, make you stronger," Charlie said. "And besides, I don't need to worry about that kind of thing anymore. I've found my soul mate and you and I are never going to hurt each other, are we?"

"Never," Joey confirmed.

After several minutes of kissing, Charlie pulled back and gazed tenderly at Joey. She stroked her hair and smiled.

"So, while we're in the mood for sharing, do you want to tell me those domestics my Dad mentioned?" she asked.

"No, that's okay," Joey said, kissing her again.

Charlie pouted. Joey sighed.

"Okay," she said. "Well, half of them were with my family. There was the incident with my brother that I told you about and a couple of time when I was still at school, I ended up in a few fights with him and my Dad. Actually, it was during the second one that the police were called to, that I finally left home. I'd tried to go but my Dad burned most of my stuff in anger. The police knew things were bad for me and I got them to drive me to the bus stop."

Charlie hugged Joey closer.

"Another time was because the neighbours complained about a loud argument I had with a girlfriend. That was both of our faults. We split up after that."

"How long had you been together?" Charlie asked.

"A few months. It wasn't serious."

"You know, you make me nervous when you say 'a few months, it wasn't serious'," Charlie teased.

"Why?" Joey asked, bewildered.

"In case this is nothing serious. It's only been a few weeks."

"But a few weeks are going to turn into forever," Joey pointed out.

Charlie accepted Joey's kiss, satisfied with her answer. She waited for Joey to continue.

"Another incident was when Skip wouldn't leave my house. And the other time was when this woman charged into my work and tried to thump me."

"Why?"

"Because I was sleeping with her girlfriend," Joey admitted.

"Joey!"

"I didn't know she was taken!" Joey said defensively. "She never told me."

Charlie shook her head. Joey really did attract trouble wherever she went.

"So, that's it," Joey said. "I swear there's nothing left to know."

"I love everything I know about you," Charlie said, gazing into Joey's eyes.

"Even though I'm badly behaved?"

"Especially because you're badly behaved," Charlie said, pulling Joey on top of her.

"You know, speaking of... I kind of brought some um... toys with me."

Charlie looked a little startled.

"I'm guessing you don't mean cuddly teddy bears."

Joey kissed her deeply.

"Wanna play?" she asked.

On Sunday afternoon, Charlie and Joey reluctantly returned home.

"We have very good weekends in hotels," Joey concluded mischievously as she grabbed their luggage out of the car, ready to take it into her apartment.

"That we do," Charlie said, pulling her in for a kiss.

Joey dropped the bags and lost herself in Charlie.

Across the street, Skip seethed as she observed her beloved Joey and the hot cop make out in front of Joey's apartment block. She wondered how Joey could betray her like that. It wasn't fair. Joey was supposed to be with her and her only. Grimacing, Skip promised herself that she would be doing something about this latest turn of events.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Joey pottered around in the living room the following morning. Her shift was due to start two hours after Charlie's so Charlie had already kissed her goodbye and departed, grumbling over the fact that she had to go to work straight after their trip. When it was time to leave, Joey checked her appearance, grabbed her keys, phone and cash and headed out the door. She hadn't taken more than four steps before the last person she ever wanted to see again, stepped out in front of her. Joey's entire body tensed as Skip stood there, smiling.

"I don't want to see you," Joey said quickly, attempting to push past.

"That's not very nice when I've come all this way," Skip replied.

"I didn't want you to come all this way so why don't you just go home?"

"Joey, I need to see you!"

"Skip, _I_ came all this way because I wanted to get away from you!"

She carried on walking, her heart sinking when Skip walked alongside her.

"Don't be like that," Skip pleaded. "Look, I know you feel awkward right now because of that cop but it's okay; I forgive you."

Joey stopped and stared at her.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" she asked.

"I know you've been cheating on me with that police officer."

Joey stopped and stared at her, her eyes burning into her dark eyes.

"I am not cheating on you, Skip," she said, pronouncing every word clearly, "because you are I are not together. We have never been together and we never will be together so please get that through your strange little mind."

She continued walking, taking each step a little too hard. Skip followed.

"What about that kiss?"

"It was a pity kiss!" Joey exploded. "And it was the worst decision I ever made, which to be honest, is a big statement because I make awful decisions a hell of a lot of the time!"

"That's not true and you know it," Skip argued. "Nobody can kiss like that and not mean it."

"I'm just a good kisser," Joey snapped, walking faster.

She flinched when Skip caught hold of her hands. She pulled roughly away.

"Joey, you know we mean more to each other than that," she said.

"No we don't!" Joey insisted.

"Joey, please…"

"Just get away from me!"

Joey stormed off, almost breaking into a run to get away from her.

At work, things did not get any better. She served drinks while Skip sat at the end of the bar, watching quietly. Joey found herself clumsy. She dropped several glasses, smashing them and had a near miss with a couple of bottles.

"Are you okay, love?" Alf asked when she started fighting with the coffee machine.

"Yeah, just the girl at the end of the bar is making me uncomfortable."

"Do you need me to ask her to leave?"

"Technically, she hasn't done anything," Joey pointed out, feeling deflated.

Alf shrugged.

"If she's making you uncomfortable, it doesn't matter," he said. "My staff are the most important thing."

Joey felt touched. She asked Alf to remove Skip.

"Hey, sweetie," Charlie said cheerfully when she entered the Surf Club.

She leant across the bar. Joey bent down to kiss her, managing to get a sneaky look down her shirt, feeling grateful that Charlie rarely buttoned it the whole way like she was supposed to.

"How's it going?" Charlie asked, noticing.

"Skip just got thrown out of here," Joey explained.

Charlie looked startled.

"What happened?" she asked.

"She was waiting for me outside the house and followed me here. She just sat there watching me. Alf noticed, mostly because I kept dropping things and asked her to leave. She protested quite loudly but agreed. She's not outside, is she?"

"Not that I noticed," Charlie said, shaking her head. "Are you okay?"

Joey nodded, although she still felt a little shaken.

"Because you know, I can go find her and kick her all the way to jail if you like."

Charlie fluttered her eyelashes innocently, making Joey laugh.

"I'm hoping she'll get the message to get lost soon," Joey said, although she really didn't believe that would happen.

"And if not," Charlie said.

She slapped a fist into her palm.

"Police brutality," Joey laughed. "That'll look good for you."

Charlie sighed.

"I guess that probably won't help," she agreed.

Joey reached out and stroked Charlie's face.

"I like it when you get all protective," she whispered.

Charlie checked that Alf hadn't returned during their talk. She stole a couple of kisses.

"I'll make you feel really, really protected after work if you like," she said, keeping her voice low.

"I get off at five," Joey replied. "Meet you at your place?"

"The time cannot go by fast enough."

They kissed once more and Charlie headed back to work.

When she got back to her car, Charlie stopped in her tracks. Skip was leaning against the door. Taking a breath, Charlie moved forward.

"What do you think you're doing?" Skip demanded.

Charlie observed the short woman with mousy brown hair and angry eyes.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," she said. "Could you step away from my car, please?"

Skip didn't move. Charlie clenched her jaw.

"Leave Joey alone," Skip demanded.

"Again, I was about to say the same thing to you," Charlie said coldly. "How funny."

"Joey is my girlfriend."

"No, she's mine. She doesn't want you around. Leave her alone."

Skip stood up, folding her arms.

"I love her."

"She doesn't love you," Charlie said. "And if you don't get the hell out of town, I'll arrest you."

"No you won't," Skip said confidently. "She doesn't want you to. And do you know why? Because she cares about me."

"No, it's because she feels sorry for you. That's what got her into this mess in the first place."

Charlie unlocked the car and climbed in but Skip held the door. They struggled with it together.

"I'm going to get her back," Skip warned.

Charlie pulled the door shut and started the engine as quickly as possible.

Joey got home as quickly as possible, partly because Skip had been waiting for her and partly because she knew Charlie would be at home. Arriving back, she burst through the door, locking it tightly behind her.

"Charlie?" she called, walking through the kitchen, expecting her in the living room.

It was empty.

"Charlie? Are you here yet?" she asked.

She headed towards the bedroom and stopped with a huge smile on her face. Charlie was stretched back against the pillows, looking at her without a stitch on.

"I feel so protected right now," Joey grinned, joining her on the bed.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Joey had spent an uncomfortable week being watched and approached by Skip. The only comfort had been Charlie and how loving she always was. And she did feel protected, as much as anyone could in that situation anyway. They had also made more progress with Ross, who had been to dinner with them twice and had actually begun to talk to Joey directly and nicely. They had even shared a joke or two. Joey felt she clicked nicely with Morag and she and Ruby continued to get on like a house on fire.

***

It was Friday night and Charlie was looking desperately forward to an entire weekend off. She, Joey, Watson, Angelo, Jack and Martha had arranged to go for drinks at the Surf Club.

"Okay, I have a game," Angelo said, grinning at his friends.

"Uh oh," Charlie said.

"How about 'I have never'?"

"What's that?" Watson asked.

"A drinking game," Joey told her. "You say 'I have never' and then make a statement. And if you've done it, you drink."

"Well, you explained it better than I would have!" Angelo said, pleased.

"And you can confess to things on purpose," Joey added. "You don't have to choose things that you actually haven't done."

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea," Jack said uncertainly.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Martha insisted.

His looked at his wife and sighed. She always got her way. There was really very little point in arguing.

"I'm with Jack on this one," said Charlie.

She didn't particularly want to share all her secrets, especially with three of her work colleagues.

"Me too," said Watson.

"I thought cops were meant to be brave," Joey teased, grinning at Charlie who promptly gave into peer pressure.

"Fine, I'll play. But nothing leaves this circle."

Everyone nodded.

"I'll start," said Angelo. "I have never used my uniform in the bedroom."

Charlie's breath caught in her throat, making her cough.

"I'm guessing Charlie will be drinking," Martha grinned.

Charlie sighed heavily and joined Angelo in drinking.

"You guys should do it," Joey laughed. "It's a lot of fun!"

Charlie blushed a deeper shade of crimson. Angelo looked extra cheerful.

"Your turn, Joey," Angelo said.

"Okay, I have never…"

She shrugged.

"… Had sex with a man," she decided.

Charlie and Martha were the only ones to drink. Charlie frowned, already tired of being a constant drinker.

"I have never had a threesome," she said, determined to secure something she hadn't done.

Angelo gulped his beer proudly. Joey swallowed her Jack Daniels and coke in a more subdued fashion.

"You never cease to surprise me," Charlie told her girlfriend.

Joey shrugged awkwardly, hoping Charlie wasn't disappointed in her somehow.

"Is there anything you won't try?" Angelo asked her.

"Men," Joey replied firmly.

He frowned. The others laughed.

"I have never had sex in a car," Watson said.

She was the only one who didn't drink.

"I have never had sex in a public place," Martha said, sipping her wine.

Everybody else followed suit.

"I have never been caught in the act," Jack suggested.

He and Martha both drank. Charlie and Joey were glad not to have to answer affirmatively. They chose to ignore their near misses.

***

As the night continued, the game got sillier and Charlie was sure she knew more about her friends than she really wanted to. More importantly, they now knew more about her than she'd wanted to reveal. But honesty was an annoying habit of hers. Charlie laughed as Joey and Watson both admitted to having been with someone more than twenty years their senior.

"I have never…" Charlie began.

She caught Joey's expression and looked behind her to where she was staring. Skip was propping up the bar, watching them intently. Charlie glared at her and then looked back at Joey who wasn't having fun anymore.

"Who's that?" Martha asked, noticing the stranger.

"Isn't she the mugging victim from last week?" Angelo asked, recognising her.

"She's a hell of a lot more than that," Joey said darkly.

"An ex?"

"She wishes."

"Do you want to go?" Charlie asked quietly.

"No," Joey replied. "She's not going to stop me hanging out with my friends."

She turned her back on Skip.

"So, Charlie, what have you never done?" she asked.

***

Skip sat alone at the bar feeling awful. How could Joey be so unkind as to ignore her? She had been snappy and rude all week, never finding time and space to connect with her. Her grief increased the longer she spent watching her beloved Joey having fun with that woman and their friends. She longed to be part of the group. She wished with all her heart that Joey would accept that they loved each other. It would be the most amazing experience to be able to sit beside her, like that other woman, Charlie, was doing now. Her whole body tensed as she watched Joey, her Joey, laugh and lean in. Joey kissed Charlie tenderly, wrapping her arms around her. The other officer, Rossetti or something wolf whistled. Charlie and Joey pulled away and Joey snuggled into Charlie's shoulder. Skip could imagine she was blushing. She strained to listen as the game continued.

***

When Charlie and Joey were ready to leave the bar, they were aware that Skip was still present and eyeing them intently. Feeling tipsy and annoyed that Skip had almost ruined their evening, Charlie made sure she wrapped her arms around Joey. She kissed her passionately in the middle of the Surf Club. Joey looked shocked. Charlie looked pleased with herself. Skip's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"So, a threesome, huh?" Charlie teased as she and Joey began to walk home.

"Slept with two members of the same family, huh?" Joey countered.

They both giggled, feeling flushed.

"So, how were they related?" Joey asked, linking arms as they walked and leaning into Charlie partly out of affection and partly out of dizziness.

"Cousins," Charlie admitted. "How did your threesome come about?"

"Two friends both decided they liked me. We were in a club. They approached and said they couldn't pick which one got to have me and proposed that they both did."

Charlie marvelled at the audacity those women must have had. She wished she could be more forthright, although Joey was improving her personal confidence every day.

"So, which cousin was better?" Joey asked, shining the attention back on Charlie.

"I wouldn't compare them!" she protested.

"Yeah, right."

"Okay, George, the younger was better," she said. "And was your exploit as exciting as people seem to think it is?"

"It was fun. But my outlook on life has changed recently."

"What do you mean?"

"I've realised that the best kind of intimacy is with someone you love. You could have all the exciting exploits you want in your history but nothing compares to a genuine connection. I mean, you're the most incredible lover I've had anyway but the fact that we're in love just makes it even more special."

Joey caught herself, realising that she was rambling. She blushed and looked away. Charlie couldn't help but smile joyfully, feeling extremely pleased with herself. She stopped and faced Joey, holding her hands in hers.

"I feel exactly the same about you," she said, leaning in to kiss her.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Joey settled down to lunch with Ruby who had escaped from school for a whole glorious hour. Joey shifted around anxiously.

"What's up?" Ruby asked, noticing her discontent.

"I have a stalker," Joey admitted.

So far, she and Charlie had just kept the Skip situation between them, although the others on Friday night had obviously noticed there was a problem of some kind.

"A stalker?" Ruby asked.

She looked round.

"Who?"

"The light brown haired girl in the corner."

Ruby blatantly looked at her. Skip's expression was emotionless. Ruby turned back to Joey in confusion.

"What's the story?" she asked.

"Weird girl from the last place I lived. Developed a strange obsession with me. I left town and came here in order to get away from her. She followed me."

"Does Charlie know?"

"Yeah, I've told her the whole story. She wants me to press charges."

"Well, yeah!" Ruby said, failing to keep her voice quiet. "Why haven't you done that yet?"

"I kind of feel sorry for her," Joey admitted. "But she's stressing me out enough that I think I will. She followed me from home to my work out, then to work and now here. And I imagine she'll be following me back to work when we finish eating."

"You seriously need to go to the police station before you go back to work, Joey. I mean it," Ruby warned.

Joey nodded.

"Is she dangerous?"

"Just peculiar. I think."

***

"Joey!" Skip yelled.

The school girl had left and Joey had also departed the Diner but hadn't gone in the direction of work. Joey turned, glaring at her.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" she asked. "Don't you think this whole thing is kind of tragic?"

"Yes, it's very tragic that you won't get over yourself and admit that you love me. But then, that's you, I guess. You never have been good with emotions."

"Firstly, I don't love you. Secondly, how in the hell would you know what my emotional capacity is like? And thirdly, I have no problem expressing love to the person I love, which is Charlie."

"It's not real with her and you know it," Skip insisted.

"What do you need me to do to prove it to you, Skip?" Joey asked. "Do you need me to make love to her in front of you or something?"

"Sex is just sex. You and I have emotional intimacy."

"No, we don't," Joey told her, starting to walk again. "You're fucking crazy! And I'm pressing charges against you right now."

"You wouldn't dare!" Skip said, sounding aggressive for the first time.

She grabbed hold of Joey's arm to stop her. Joey whirled round, anger burning in her eyes.

"Leave me the fuck alone," she warned. "I've let it go time and time again. I moved house because of you. I've begged you and begged you to leave me be. I've shown you that I don't want you and explained that I'm in love with someone else. What more can I do to help you move on and live your life away from me?"

"I can't live my life away from you, Joey. I need you."

"You don't need me. You've just got fixated on me somehow."

"I love you!" Skip protested.

"I don't know what it is you feel about me but I can promise you it's not love."

Joey started walking.

"Don't walk away from me!" Skip yelled.

She grabbed hold of Joey's forearms so tightly that Joey knew she would bruise. She struggled to get away Skip held her grip.

"You're hurting me!" Joey protested as she tried to break free.

"And you're hurting me!" Skip replied, her eyes blazing.

Joey fought against her, opening her arms so wide that Skip eventually couldn't hold on. She came back for a second round but Joey pushed her hard and fled in a state of panic.

***

Charlie was on the phone arranging to see a witness of an assault that had occurred over the weekend. Her own weekend had been delightful. She and Joey had both been off work and had managed to spend a lot of time together. They had also taken Ruby out to the cinema. Charlie was worried about become neglectful of her sister. She looked up when she heard someone burst through the door.

"Joey!" she said in surprise.

Joey had obviously been running. She reached the desk breathless.

"What's happened?" Charlie asked, running in front of the desk and holding onto Joey.

"Skip."

"What did she do?" Charlie asked.

She guided Joey into her office and sat her down on the chair, reminding her of the second letter Joey had received from Skip. The panic within this situation only ever seemed to become worse. Joey offered up her forearms, which already had five small bruises on each of them.

"What happened?" Charlie asked again.

"She's been following me all day," Joey explained, trying to regain control of herself. "She caught up with me outside the Diner after Ruby went back to school. It got really heated. I told her I was pressing charges. She grabbed me. It hurt."

Charlie found her frown adorable. She reached out to hold her close.

"Are you finally going to do something about her?" she asked.

Joey nodded.

"Okay, let's get it all on paper, okay?" Charlie said.

***

An hour and a half later, Joey had made her official statement. She felt a little sick, unable to ignore the guilt she felt. Deep down, she believed that Skip was just a damaged woman who needed help. She wasn't sure that involving the police was the best way to heal her but then, she didn't know what else to do. She needed to protect herself and her family. Family felt like such a strange thing to say. She hadn't had one in so long but now, Charlie and Ruby were definitely her family. They meant everything to her. Charlie was the perfect partner and Ruby felt like her own little sister. She hoped that Ross and Morag would one day be as close. It would be nice to have parents again. She missed her mother terribly every day. It was a different situation but that was one of the things that she and Charlie really connected over. Charlie's mother had died six months ago and while Charlie didn't talk about it or her feelings with anyone else, she had told Joey how much she missed her, in great detail. While Joey's mother was still alive, it was impossible for them to see each other. Joey knew she'd never get through her father and brother in order to see her mother. They had made it clear as day that she was dead as far as they were concerned.

"What happens now?" she asked.

It felt so strange to be interviewed by her own girlfriend but Charlie had been nothing if not professional.

"Now you leave it to us to go and talk to Skip," Charlie said.

"Okay but you need to go with Watson or another female colleague. She freaks out with men," Joey told her.

She wanted this to go as well as it could go. Charlie nodded.

"Right, I'll find a female colleague to come with me," she said.

Joey exhaled heavily. She and Charlie got to their feet. Charlie offered her a quick kiss before letting her out of the interview room.

***

Joey headed back to work and was pleased to find that Skip wasn't around. She rushed to apologise to Alf and explain that she had a personal problem she'd had to deal with and she hadn't had time to call. He wasn't terribly impressed but he accepted it. It wasn't as if Joey had ever done anything like that before. She threw herself into work, attempting to do anything to distract her and prevent her from worrying about what was to come. Skip would not take kindly to police interference.

***

"Where's Watson?" Charlie asked when she spotted Angelo coming through the door.

"She went home sick. Didn't anyone tell you?"

Charlie shook her head, feeling fretful. She glanced around the station to find any female colleague but the place was quiet. The only people there were men. She considered taking Angelo with her anyway. She didn't really care about Skip's comfort.

"Are you okay?" Angelo asked.

"I'm fine. I just have to go out for a bit."

She disappeared before Angelo had a chance to reply.

***

Charlie was nervous when she knocked at Skip's caravan door. She wasn't sure going to confront her alone was the brightest decision she had ever made. The door opened rapidly. Skip glared at her.

"I'm here to talk to you about a claim that's been filed against you," Charlie said sternly.

"I guess you'd better come in then," Skip replied stiffly.

Charlie entered the caravan, not feeling very comfortable. As soon as she was inside, Skip shoved her hard. She stumbled towards the back of the caravan, taken by surprise. She watched as Skip quickly locked the door.


	31. Chapter 31

_Okay, I need to ask your forgiveness, guys and ask you to have faith in me! But just to warn you, the following paragraphs may contain mental images that some readers may find disturbing... sigh. Thank you all so much for your reviews. Please keep reading!_

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Immediately alert and deeply regretting approaching her girlfriend's stalker by herself, Charlie lowered a hand to her baton. Being locked inside a caravan with someone who hated her possibly wasn't the safest situation to be in. Before she could even put her hands on the weapon, Skip ran at her, tackling her to the floor. She hit her hard in the face. Charlie raised her arms to push Skip away but she was already on top of her. She grabbed hold of Charlie's head and thrust it down hard on the floor of the caravan. Charlie's vision went blurry before everything turned black.

***

Joey tried to focus on work but she couldn't get her allegations out of her head. How would Skip react when Charlie and, she presumed, Watson went to speak to her? She was so mixed up that she wouldn't even recognise that she had been doing something wrong by following Joey around. Spotting a new customer, Joey plastered a smile on her face and approached them.

***

"Are you okay?" Xavier asked.

Ruby had been distracted ever since she had returned from lunch. She shrugged.

"What is it?"

"Joey has a stalker," Ruby admitted.

"A stalker?"

"Some girl that's in love with her or something. She followed her here from wherever they were living before."

"Why hasn't Charlie done anything about it?" Xavier asked.

"Joey feels sorry for the girl," Ruby explained. "But I think she's just about ready to press charges against her."

***

Charlie woke up with a throbbing pain in the back of her skull. Memories of what had happened hit her with full force and she attempted to get to her feet. Fear gripped her as she realised she had been restrained. Glancing anxiously around her she realised that her belt had been removed and she'd been handcuffed to the sink. Her heart beat wildly as she struggled against her restraints, even though she knew it was pointless. She peered to her left. Skip was sitting quietly on the bed, watching her and turning Charlie's gun over and over in her hands. Charlie swallowed hard.

***

Joey finished work gratefully and headed home, eager to shower the day off her and maybe take a nap. As she began walking, she pulled out her mobile and called Charlie. She frowned when it rang several times and then clicked onto voicemail. Shrugging, she supposed Charlie must be busy with work. She had three hours left of her shift left. Letting herself into her flat, Joey headed straight for the bathroom. She would try Charlie again later.

***

Charlie heard her phone ring, feeling it vibrating in her pocket. There was no way she could answer it. She continued to stare at the gun Skip was holding.

"Skip, you really need to let me go," she ventured carefully.

Skip looked up sharply.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because you're going to get yourself into trouble," Charlie warned her. "If you let me go now we can sort this out. It's not too late."

"Of course it's too late," Skip snapped. "You stole Joey away from me. The only way I can win her back is to get rid of you."

"Do you really think if you take me out of the picture, Joey will want to know you anymore?" Charlie asked.

"She'll hurt for a while but she'll get over it," Skip told her. "You're not that hard to recover from, Constable."

"Skip, you don't want to hurt me," Charlie insisted.

"Hurt you? I want to kill you!"

Charlie struggled more in her handcuffs.

"You've taken away the most precious thing in my life! You could never love Joey like I can."

She continued to fiddle with the gun. Charlie decided not to argue with her. It would not help.

***

Joey stepped out of the shower feeling a little more refreshed. She lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. She reached out for her phone to call Charlie once more. Again there was no answer. She fell asleep.

***

"Who keeps calling you?" Skip snapped when Charlie's phone rang again.

"I don't know," Charlie said to her if she were stupid. "I can't reach it."

Skip charged forward and dug into Charlie's pocket, snatching the phone. There were two missed calls from Joey. She confiscated the item and hovered over Charlie.

"Who was it?" Charlie wanted to know.

"My girlfriend," Skip snapped.

"She's not your girlfriend!" Charlie shouted back, momentarily ignoring the predicament she was in.

Skip slapped her. Charlie's face stung. She remembered being punched before she'd been knocked out.

"Skip, you have to let me go," Charlie pleaded. "Nobody needs to know about this if you just undo the cuffs, give me my stuff back and let me walk out of here."

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

Charlie bit her lip to stop herself from answering unhelpfully but Skip interpreted her expression. She grabbed Charlie roughly by her collar.

"All of this is your fault!" Skip screamed. "You took her away from me! I love her. I need her. And you've wrecked everything that we had."

"So let's talk about it," Charlie pleaded. "Let me go and we can work through this together, find some kind of resolution. You don't have to do this."

"Stop talking!" Skip snapped, letting her go.

She began to pace the small floor surface of the caravan, trying to figure out what to do.

***

Joey woke up with a jolt, as if something was terribly wrong. She glanced at her clock. Charlie's shift would have finished half an hour ago. She picked up her phone, expecting to see a missed call or a text but there was nothing. She dialled Charlie's number again. Once more she got no answer.

***

Skip lurched when she felt Charlie's phone ringing again. It was Joey. She threw the device down on the bed and peered out of the window. The caravan park seemed empty.

"Give me your keys," she demanded.

"They're in my other pocket," Charlie said.

Skip grabbed them and left the caravan.

"You're not going to leave me here!" Charlie yelled, although it was more of a question than a statement.

"You wish," Skip said, closing the door behind her.

***

"Hey, Rubes," Joey greeted. "Is Charlie home? She's not picking up."

Ruby shook her head.

"I presumed she was with you. Maybe she's doing overtime. Do you want some juice?"

Joey noticed that she was pouring some for herself.

"Thanks. I'll call the station."

She couldn't help but fret, even though she had no evidence that something was wrong. She dialled Charlie's work number. Angelo picked up the phone.

"Hey, Angelo. Is Charlie around?"

"No. I thought she'd crept away to do naughty things with you. That's what she did last time she disappeared."

"I haven't seen her since I made my statement at lunch time," Joey said.

"Statement?"

"I have a stalker."

On the other end of the phone, things started to fall into place.

"She was meant to take Watson and go and see her."

"Watson's off sick," Angelo told her. "But Charlie disappeared by herself at around two-thirty."

Joey shook her head. There was surely no way that Charlie would have gone to see Skip by herself, was there?

"Angelo, you need to find out where Skip's staying."

"Skip?"

"Jennifer Tudor – the mugging victim from a couple of weeks ago."

She heard Angelo tapping away on the computer.

"Okay, I've got her."

Jack walked in. Angelo waved at him to stop in front of the reception desk.

"Where is she?"

"I don't want you storming round there, Joey. Jack and I will go and check it out."

Joey sighed in frustration.

"Call me as soon as you know what's happening," she demanded.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked, staring at her, as soon as she'd hung up the phone.

***

Charlie slipped in and out of consciousness as Skip drove the police car. She had her hands handcuffed behind her back as she lay in the backseat, dizzy and sick. When Skip had returned, having started the ignition, she'd hit her repeatedly. Charlie could still taste blood on her lips. She'd also stamped on her leg. She'd released the cuffs from the sink but Charlie had been in no position to escape before she'd had her arms firmly tied behind her. Skip had then dragged her towards the car. She felt like she had been trapped in the car for hours but it probably hadn't been that long. Time had abandoned her. She didn't know where or when she was.

***

"Ruby, don't panic," Joey said, trying not to panic herself. "Let's just wait for Angelo to call. I'm sure everything's fine."

Even she didn't believe what she was saying.

"But what if something's happened with that girl?" Ruby asked, pacing.

"It won't have."

"You don't even know if this bitch is dangerous or not, Joey! Why the hell didn't you deal with her sooner?"

Joey felt guilty. Ruby was right. This was all her fault. She sank down onto the couch and rested her face against her palms. Ruby watched her, feeling bad for snapping. She sat down beside her, slipping her arms round her shoulders.

"Sorry," she apologised. "It's not your fault. I didn't mean it."

Joey nodded but she had already taken firm responsibility for the possibility that Charlie might be in danger.

***

Angelo and Jack arrived at the caravan park as quickly as possible. They banged loudly on the door but there was no answer. Jack moved round to peer through the window. Angelo banged harder.

"I'll go find Miles," Jack told him.

***

Skip stopped the car and dragged Charlie off the backseat by hooking her hands under her arms. Charlie felt dizzy and sick. On her feet, she attempted to fight back. She attempted to throw a kick but the pain in the leg supporting her caused her to stumble and cry out. There had to be some kind of severe damage there. Skip noticed and kicked her hard in the same leg. Charlie screamed and fell to the ground. She received another kick to her back. Charlie lay still, knowing there was nothing she could do to save herself. She was entirely at Skip's mercy.

***

Miles opened the caravan door, feeling confused. What did a tourist have to do with Charlie? And why were Jack and Angelo so fretful? As soon as the door was unlocked, Angelo rushed through it, his heart sinking when he found it empty. Jack was right behind him. Angelo rushed over to the bed. On top of the mattress lay Charlie's discarded belt. From it, the gun, baton and handcuffs were missing. Her phone also lay there. He turned to see Jack on the floor.

"Blood," he confirmed.

Miles stood frantically in the doorway.

"What's happened?"

"We think this Jennifer Tudor has abducted Charlie."

***

In the woods, Charlie lay in a heap on the floor, a bloodied mess. All she could taste was blood and dirt. Every part of her was in agony. She stared up at Skip through her one non-injured eye. Once Skip had dragged her, on a potentially broken leg, she had mercilessly assaulted her. Charlie refused to lose any further dignity by pleading for her life. She expected Skip to pull out her gun any minute and finish the job.

***

"Joey, it looks like Skip's taken Charlie somewhere," Angelo said, when he was back inside the car.

"What?" Joey yelled.

Ruby looked at her fretfully.

"Do you have any idea where she might have taken her?" Angelo asked urgently.

"No! She's not from round here. I don't know where she goes," Joey said tearfully.

"We're setting the whole team on finding her. Don't worry."

"How the hell can you tell me not to worry? A psycho has just abducted my girlfriend!"

Ruby squeaked. Joey felt bad for blurting it out like that.

"We'll find her," Angelo assured her. "Sit tight."

"I can't sit tight, Angelo. I have to help."

"There's nothing you can do. You need to leave this to us."

"There must be something!"

"Okay, do you have any information on this woman that you haven't put in your statement already?"

"Letters! I have letters. She started sending them before she arrived."

"Go and get them, just in case there's something useful in there," Angelo said, more to give her something to fill her time with than anything else.

"I'll bring them to the station."

***

Charlie was handcuffed to an extremely tall post, which looked like it had once been used to direct people to the footpath. She refused to cry and just stared blankly ahead of her, attempting to tune out the pain.

"Enjoy your death," Skip said, turning around.

"You're leaving me here?" Charlie demanded, although her voice was weak.

Skip turned back and nodded.

"You took Joey away from me," she said. "You deserve this!"

"I didn't take her away from you!" Charlie said, using all her energy to shout. "She was never yours in the first place! She ran away to escape you. What does that say? She's thinks you're a fucking psycho! And she's right!"  
Skip's anger flared.

"What Joey and I have is the kind of love you could only dream about," Charlie continued furiously. "She's the most amazing partner anyone could ever have and whether you kill me or not, you'll still never know it. She wouldn't touch you if you were the last person on earth! She's screw a man before she went anywhere near you!"

Skip reached for the gun, her hands trembling. Charlie breathed heavily. It was what she had wanted. If she was going to die out here, the best she could hope for was that it would be quick. She shut her eyes and waited. Hearing footsteps, she looked up. Still with the gun in her hands, Skip approached and crouched down beside her.

"You think you can make me angry enough to finish you off quickly? Think again. You're going to die painfully and alone and when they find you, your body will be unrecognisable."

She hit Charlie with the back of the gun, connecting with the side of her head. Then she walked away. Charlie finally allowed herself to cry.


	32. Chapter 32

_Deep apologies for what I've done to Charlie! Please forgive me! If it helps, I had no idea this was where the story was going until now. But there are other places to go after this bit, I promise._

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Joey hurried home, having called Leah back to sit with Ruby and keep her calm. She furrowed her brow when she noticed a lamp on in the living room. Her heart leapt hopefully.

"Charlie?" she called, rushing into the room, desperately anticipating it all being some horrible mistake.

She did not find Charlie sitting on the sofa. It was Skip relaxing there instead.

***

Charlie closed her eyes in despair. The night was growing dark and cold. She flinched at every noise, certain that the blood she'd spilled would soon start attracting animals. Skip had now sped so far from being purely misunderstood. She really was psychotic. Charlie struggled with her handcuffs for the millionth time and looked above her, wondering if she could slip up and over the post. Tentatively, she got to her feet, screaming in agony. One leg was definitely broken and the other wasn't far behind it. She craned her neck to look up and behind her, stretching her arms up, which prompted another shriek of pain. Her left shoulder was particularly agonising. She stretched as far as she could but it was no use. She couldn't reach the top of the pillar. She sank back down in a heap, hurting herself even more.

***

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Joey demanded. "Where's Charlie?"

"Is she missing?" Skip asked innocently.

"You know she's missing!" Joey shouted. "Where is she? What have you done with her?"

Her voice resembled nothing but a scream.

"Joey, I don't know what you're talking about," Skip lied.

She was lounging on the sofa like it was her home. Joey's anger intensified.

"Come and sit down," Skip said casually.

Joey shook her head.

"You tell me where Charlie is," she demanded.

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"If you've hurt her, I will kill you," Joey threatened.

Skip blanched. It actually looked like she meant it.

"She must have got cold feet," she said. "Nothing's happened to her. She's just left you. Which is great! Now you can be with me."

"I will never be with you. And even if Charlie did split up with me, she'd never leave the Bay. She loves her sister too much."

"What can I say?"

"You can say whatever it is you've done with her!" Joey snapped.

Skip shook her head, wondering how she was going to play this part of the game. She hadn't expected Joey to be so volatile.

"Skip!" Joey pleaded desperately. "Where's Charlie?"

"She's away from here now," Skip said after a moment.

"Where?"

Joey burst into fraught tears.

"Please, tell me where she is. I'll do anything. Please?"

"Anything?"

Joey nodded, not caring what she was agreeing to.

"Okay, if you give into your feelings and be with me," Skip ventured, "then I'll take you to her."

Joey perched on the edge of the couch, nodding.

"Okay. Fine. I'll be with you. But please, please just take me to her so I can bring her home to her family."

"You'll really do what I ask? No matter what state she'll be in when you reach her?"

"What kind of state will she be in?" Joey wanted to know. "Have you hurt her?"

"Maybe a little."

Joey fought to keep control of herself.

"Just please let me get her to a hospital."

"Fine," Skip said, standing up. "Let's go."

***

Charlie slipped in and out of consciousness, aware that she had lost a ridiculous amount of blood. She was dizzy, dehydrated, frightened, weak and in a lot of pain. It was officially dark. She fretted about animals and made intermittent calls out, just in case someone helpful happened to be in the woods, although she was sure it was futile. _I'm going to die_, she thought to herself. She thought about Ruby. She wasn't ready to leave her yet. She wanted to see her beloved sister become a grown woman, be all that she wanted to be. Their father would never look after Ruby the way Charlie had. He loved her, he cared and he would try but Charlie had been the one to step into the role of mother when their own mother had died. It was Charlie who had taken care of Ruby, protected her and guided her through her grief. She thought about Joey - beautiful, funny, complicated Joey. She figured that at least she'd get her wish of being with Joey until her dying day. She just hadn't realised it would come so soon. There was so much left to do, such a deeper connection to make. She had finally found 'the one' and now they were going to be torn apart. Charlie wondered if there was an afterlife. Would she be reunited with her mother? Would she be able to watch over her loved ones? And would they ever find her body on earth? Were they looking for her now? She hoped so. She wanted to be missing. She wanted Joey and Ruby to have pressed her colleagues into hunting for her. She didn't know who, if anyone was up there but she prayed with all her heart that she would be found in time. Even if today was her day of goodbye, she was frightened of dying here alone, in the cold and the dark. She wanted to be allowed to see Joey, Ruby and her father one more time. She wanted to be able to say goodbye.

***

Angelo paced the station, listening on his radio for any of his colleagues that may have found a lead as to where Charlie was. Jack arrived, looking tense.

"Why hasn't anyone found anything yet?" Angelo demanded.

"We're looking," Jack replied, trying hard to be calm.

"There must be something!"

Angelo thumped his hand down on the desk in frustration. They had cars along coast, out of town and patrolling through any fields or nearby woods but there was no sign of their colleague. The phone rang.

"Have you heard anything?"

It was Leah's voice. He could hear who he could only presume was Ruby, crying in the background.

"Nothing yet but we won't stop until we've found her," Angelo promised.

Inside, his heart was sinking. They were on a coastal town. This Tudor woman could have taken her out to sea if she wanted to. She could have taken her anywhere, done anything to her. He struggled to remain calm and professional. Charlie meant too much to him. She was the first friend he'd made when he'd arrived in town. She put up with all his innuendos, she laughed at his jokes, she teased him right back. They were friends. And he wanted to stay that way.

***

Joey climbed into Charlie's police car. Skip locked the doors. Joey hoped that someone would see them and, recognise Skip and the fact that they were in Charlie's car. If only someone would notice, they could save her. For now, it was up to Joey.

"You and I will be so happy together," Skip said, smiling.

Joey felt sick.

***

Charlie woke in fits and starts. Defeated, she had accepted her fate as well as she could. Her body was broken and exhausted.

***

Joey tensed as they approached the woods. She wished she hadn't been forced to give up her phone. If only she hadn't had that confiscated, she could have tried to send a sneaky text to Angelo or Ruby to let them know where she was. Skip pulled up.

"Remember your promise," Skip said.

Joey nodded. She flinched when Skip reached across the seats to hold her hand. She cringed when she demanded a kiss.

"We need to save Charlie first," Joey protested.

"There's plenty of time to reach her," Skip said.

"You said she was hurt."

"Joey, she'll be dead by now."

Joey fought the urge to vomit. She shook her head.

"You killed her?" she managed, her eyes blurring.

"Indirectly."

Joey started to shake. She was vaguely aware of her voice repeating

'no' over and over again.

"Why?" she asked eventually. "What has she ever done to you? Why my Charlie?"

"She took you away from me," Skip said, a hint of compassion in her voice.

"I was never yours," Joey cried. "She didn't do anything, Skip. She didn't deserve this. If you had to hurt someone, you should have hurt me."

"I would never hurt you!"

"You've hurt me more by doing this than you could have any other way."

"I was saving you."

Joey didn't even have the energy to argue with her.

"Please take me to her," she asked.

Skip was starting to think she had done the wrong thing. When Charlie had arrived, Skip had been provided with an ample opportunity to get rid of her. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but she hadn't thought it through. She observed Joey's grief. How would she ever love her properly if she had taken away the love of her life? She should have got rid of Charlie in any other way than this.

"Are you sure you want to see?"

"Dead or alive I'm not leaving her out here," Joey said firmly.

"It's not pretty."

Joey bit back a retort and resisted the urge to hurt Skip the way she was hurting her and how she had hurt Charlie.

***

"It looks like someone might have spotted Charlie's patrol car," Angelo declared. "They just reported it."

"Where's it going?" Jack asked.

"The woods."

"Hey!" said a voice.

Both men turned to see Watson standing the doorway, not looking very well.

"What can I do to help?" she asked.

"I thought you were sick," Angelo said.

"You call me to tell me that Charlie's missing – I don't care how sick I am. I'm helping to find her."

"We've got a lead," Jack said.

"Let's go then," Watson said.

"You stay here and cover the phones," Angelo instructed.

Watson frowned.

"You're not fit enough," Jack said, trying to be sensitive. "We'll let you know as soon as we know anything."

Watson nodded and watched Jack and Angelo hurry through the door.

***

In the woods, Charlie let her tears dry on her face. She closed her eyes and waited for the life to drain out of her.


	33. Chapter 33

_Okay, so I felt a little bad having entirely negative chapters in my last update of all my stories. Also, Gunni, please don't die! So, here is a flicker of light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Enjoy!_

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Joey followed Skip through the trees, fearing what she was going to see when she reached their destination. She tried to picture Charlie not breathing, attempting to prepare herself for the worst. Nothing could prepare her. Charlie was slumped on the floor, tied to a post from behind. Her hair was matted with blood, which was congealed on her face. Her left leg was twisted at an odd angle. The other was bleeding also.

"Charlie!" Joey called, rushing over to her.

She was still and unresponsive. Joey knew the unlikelihood of her being alive was minimal but she had to check. Skidding onto her knees, she reached out to her with trembling hands. She felt for a pulse, her hands immediately becoming sticky with blood. Charlie was lifeless. Joey crept in closer, still searching for a pulse on her neck and then her wrists. Tears spilled down her cheeks, she gasped for air.

"Charlie, please!" she cried.

Finally she located the faintest of pulses. Relief flooded her. She turned back to Skip.

"Give me the keys!" she yelled, not quite ready to admit that Charlie was alive.

If Skip thought she was dead, there was a higher chance of Skip letting them go.

"The keys!" she yelled again.

"Why the hurry?" Skip asked suspiciously.

"Because we can't leave her like this," Joey said, turning back to Charlie and stroking the only free space on her face.

"She's still alive, isn't she?" Skip asked, approaching.

"Barely," Joey admitted.

"Then I'm not letting her go. She'll be gone soon. We'll wait."

Joey leapt to her feet.

"No! We won't wait, Skip! She's alive and she's staying that way. Give me the damn keys."

Skip shook her head.

"You lied to me," she realised, observing Joey's panic.

"What?"

"You're not going to be with me if I rescue her, are you?"

Joey couldn't find the words.

"You're going to go off and be with her again. All this would have been a waste of time."

"Just please, let her go," Joey begged, looking back at Charlie.

Skip began to tremble herself, wondering how she had managed to get so far in over her head. She shook her head.

"Give me the fucking keys!" Joey yelled.

She advanced on Skip, attempting to tackle her to the ground. Skip hit her hard but Joey was undeterred. If there was even the smallest chance that Charlie could be saved, she'd do anything to make that happen.

***

Charlie slowly became aware of herself again. She was still restrained, still in the woods and still in pain. She groaned inaudibly. She had hoped she'd stop waking up. Why couldn't she just go quickly? Blinking open her one functioning eye, she could vaguely make out the blurry image of two people fighting nearby. Even with limited visibility, she recognised Joey. She attempted to call her name but she could barely squeak. She continued trying, desperate to get her attention. She never thought she'd ever see her again.

"Joey," she whispered.

Neither Joey nor the woman she was fighting with heard her.

***

Joey felt numb as she looked down at Skip's still form. She swallowed hard and crouched down, ensuring that the woman was still breathing. She'd hit her hard in the face. She hadn't expected to able to knock her out but she'd succeeded. She rummaged around in Skip's pockets and retrieved car keys and what she hoped was the key to the handcuffs that were trapping Charlie's fragile life. She also grabbed the gun Skip was carrying. She fiddled around with it nervously, rejecting the bullets in order to make it safe in case Skip came round before she and Charlie were gone. She picked up Skip's mobile phone but there was no signal. She took it anyway and shoved it in her pocket hurriedly, heading directly over to Charlie. She was awake. Barely.

"Charlie!" Joey managed.

"Joey."

Her voice was an inaudible croak.

"I'm going to get you out of here," Joey told her.

She glanced nervously at Skip. She was still on the ground. Joey nudged herself round behind Charlie and unlocked her hands. Charlie slumped in her arms. Joey considered moving her and handcuffing Skip but looking into Charlie's eyes, she decided she didn't have time for that.

"Charlie," she said kindly. "Sweetheart, I need to move you and it's really going to hurt. I'm so sorry but I have to get you to the hospital. There's nobody out here but us."

Everything told her to keep Charlie still. She was sure she'd seen that on some documentary show. But what then? They'd either be Skip's victims all over again or Joey would have to leave her to run goodness knows how far to get help. Apologising, she tried to lift Charlie's shoulder but heard her whimper in pain. It was damaged. Shuffling round to her other side, Joey lifted the other one and attempted to gently guide Charlie to her feet. Charlie's scream was high pitched. Her legs were broken. She couldn't stand. Joey fought tears, unsure of what to do next.

"Charlie, I need you to help me," she begged.

Charlie couldn't even lift her own head.

"Please, Charlie!" Joey pleaded.

Looking round frantically, she could just make out where Skip had parked the car. It would be a thirty second run.

"I will be back in one minute, Charlie. I swear. I'm not leaving you. I'm just going to get something that will help."

Charlie didn't comprehend what she was saying. Glancing over at Skip once more, Joey stood and rushed towards the car. She opened the boot and located a blanket. There was nothing of anymore use in there. It would have to do.

***

"Where has Joey got to?" Ruby asked, not for the first time.

"She's probably still at the police station," Leah said, attempting to stay calm.

She too was worried. Joey had promised that she would be back to wait with Ruby as soon as possible.

***

Joey laid Charlie gently on the blanket, leaving enough room to hold it and pull it along the forest floor. Charlie cried out several times on the bumpy journey. Joey felt guilty for hurting her and kept having to stop to make sure she was okay and secure on the makeshift sled. Reaching the edge of the trees, she let the edge of the blanket go and opened the back door of the car. She then returned to Charlie.

"I really need your help here now," she said.

Charlie attempted to open her eyes. She failed.

"Charlie, please stay with me. This is really going to hurt but you have to do this."

She hooked her arms around her beloved and tried to ignore Charlie's pained protests and the fear that she was making things worse as she laid her in the back of the car. It was hard to move her. She was awkward to lift and almost a deadweight. There was no strength left in Charlie's body. Closing the door on her, Joey ran round to the driver's door and climbed in.

"I can't fucking drive," she said, cursing herself for never learning.

She pulled out Skip's phone aware that not only could Charlie die any minute, but Skip could wake up and find them. There was still no reception. Throwing the phone on the seat beside her, Joey furiously hit the steering wheel, finally allowing herself to cry. She heard Charlie moan in the back. Looking round, she saw Charlie failing to regain consciousness. She observed the broken, bloody mess she was in.

"I can do this," Joey said to herself.

She tentatively put the key in the ignition and turned it. The engine roared to life, startling her in the eerie silence of their surroundings.

***

Angelo and Jack sped towards the woods, followed by three other cars, unsure of what they would find. They came to a halt when they spotted the police car they were looking for driving slowly and erratically towards them, lights flashing. Guns poised, the two officers jumped out of the car.

***

Joey halted the moment she saw police up ahead of her.

"Thank God!" she muttered.

She climbed out nervously, shaking and hoping they weren't planning on shooting her when she and Charlie were so close to survival.

"Put your hands up!"

She recognised the cop as Angelo. Putting her hands up, she yelled out who she was. Guns still raised, Angelo and Jack approached her with caution. They finally lowered their weapons when they were close enough to confirm that it was their friend.

"What are you doing out here, Joey?" Jack asked.

"Charlie's in the back of the car," she explained. "You have to… You have to…"

Relief flooded her. She was so grateful to have found help. She sank to her knees, losing all her strength. Jack crouched down beside her, holding her while Angelo ran forward and opened the back door of the car.

"We need help over here!" Angelo bellowed.

"Where's Tudor?" Jack asked Joey urgently.

"Back in the woods. Near the entrance. She's unconscious."

With that, Joey blacked out.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Ruby sat panicking in Leah's car as her housemate drove her to the hospital. All they knew was that her sister had been found and she was injured and on her way to be treated. Ruby looked out of the window and then back at Leah.

"Can't you speed up?" she asked.

"Not legally," Leah replied.

Ruby sighed heavily and continued looking intently through the glass, hoping that the hospital would come into view immediately.

***

Joey came to in a hospital bed. Before her eyes were properly open, she sat up sharply and started calling Charlie's name. A nurse appeared and eased her back into the bed.

"Where's Charlie?"

"She's being treated," the nurse said.

According to her badge, her name was Susan.

"I need to see her," Joey said urgently, trying to get up again.

"You won't be allowed while they're treating her," Susan pointed out.

"Will she be okay?"

Susan sighed.

"I don't know," she admitted.

"Can you find out?"  
"I'll come in and tell you as soon as there's any news."

"Can I discharge myself?"

Susan shook her head.

"We need to stitch you up and do some tests to make sure everything's okay first."

Joey furrowed her brow in confusion. She had only fainted. Charlie was the one who was hurt.

"You have a cut above your eye. And I need to clean up your knuckles."

***

Watson and Jack paced the corridor frantically. Charlie had been a state but surely treatment didn't need to take this long. And why wasn't there any news yet? Couldn't Rachel send a nurse out, just to assure them that Charlie was safe? Unless, of course, she wasn't safe. Jack stopped pacing and sank down on a plastic chair. He looked up when he heard the door open, hoping it was Martha. It was Ruby and Leah. They rushed to the nurses' station, only to be placated with 'we'll tell you as soon as we know'. Ruby turned, with red rimmed eyes and flung herself at Watson, who held her tightly. She didn't know Charlie's sister very well, but did know how much they meant to each other.

"Do you know anything?" Ruby asked.

Watson shook her head.

"Rachel will be out to give us news as soon as she's stabilised her."

"Do we know what happened yet?" Leah asked, joining the group.

"Some woman abducted her," Jack said, resting his finger tips on his forehead and his elbows on his knees.

"Joey's stalker?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah. Joey somehow managed to get her to take her to Charlie. We met her attempting to drive her to the hospital."

"Where's Joey now?" Leah asked.

"She fainted at the scene and she has some injuries."

"Can we see her?" Ruby wanted to know.

Watson hailed a passing nurse.

"Can we see Joey Collins?" she asked.

She didn't know who to panic about more – Joey or Charlie. Charlie was probably her best friend but her feelings for Joey hadn't completely died.

"Yeah, sure," the nurse said. "She's awake. But just two at a time."

Jack and Leah told Watson and Ruby to go ahead.

"Come and get me if Rachel comes out," Ruby called back over her shoulder.

***

Angelo furiously kicked at a tree trunk. Skip was not in the place that Joey had told her she would be, although the blood on the ground and against a post let them know they were at the crime scene.

***

"Joey!" Ruby cried, reaching her hospital bed.

Joey was back to a sitting position. Susan sternly guided her back down, frowning. Joey apologised and continued to insist that she was fine and ask if she could be discharged now. Susan refused.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"Skip happened," Joey said.

"She hurt Charlie?"

Joey nodded. She didn't want to go into detail. There were certain images that Ruby didn't need tainting her mind.

"What did she do to her?" Ruby asked. "What was Charlie like when you found her?"

Joey sighed. Watson twigged that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Ruby, we need to let Joey rest."

Suddenly someone burst into the room. Joey turned to see Ross boring down on her.

"What have you done to my daughter?" he demanded.

"Nothing!" Joey protested.

He leapt forward and grabbed her by her throat. Watson leapt in to pull him away. Ruby screamed at her father to let Joey go. Susan joined Watson in trying to remove Ross.

"If my girl dies, this is your fault!" he shouted. "You did this to her!"

Joey didn't have the breath to respond.

"It's all your fault! I knew you were trouble! I should never have tried to be fine about your relationship!"

Watson finally wrenched Ross's hands away from Joey's throat. She pushed him back, away from Joey, keeping hold of him so he didn't fall or come back for round two.

"You did this to Charlie!" he continued to shout.

"I didn't," Joey said tearfully.

"Joey saved Charlie's life," Watson pointed out.

"Charlie wouldn't have been in this position if it wasn't for this bitch!"

"Dad!" Ruby protested, although her faith in Joey was starting to falter.

She loved her but her father did have a point. It was Joey's stalker who had hurt her sister. It was Joey's baggage that rebounded on her. Ross left the room. Ruby looked at Joey who looked frightened, guilty and grief stricken. She hurried out of the room too. Watson felt torn. Should she stay with Joey or go after Ruby?

"Make sure she's okay," Joey said quietly.

Watson nodded and left. Joey threw herself back against her pillows and wept. Susan approached, looking fretful.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"You can find out how Charlie's doing," Joey said weakly.

Susan nodded. She departed, hoping to bring her patient some good news.

***

"Charlie isn't going to die, is she?" Ruby asked.

Ross looked torn between the truth and wanting to protect his daughter's feelings. He said nothing and stared at the door holding his daughter separate from him.

"Dad?" Ruby pleaded.

"Maybe," he admitted.

Ruby burst into tears. Leah rushed over to put her arms around her.

***

Joey closed her eyes but it didn't stop her tears from creeping beneath her eyelids. She wiped them away, longing to see Charlie again, longing to hold her. She replayed Ross's violence and angry words against her. He was right. It was all her fault. If she had never got involved with Charlie then Skip would have had no reason to hurt her, to try and take her away. Once more, Joey had proved to herself that she was a waste of space. She brought nothing but trouble with her wherever she went. She should never have got involved with Charlie again. When they'd met, Charlie had been dating Roman. She had almost been happy. It was wrong of Joey to try and win her back. She thought back to the day they had been painting the living room. It had got naughty. Charlie had been reluctant at first but Joey had won her over. She should never have persisted. It wasn't fair. She had wrecked her life at best. She had ended it at worst. She looked up when Susan approached, looking grim.

"What's happening?" Joey asked.

"They've fixed her legs and her arm. They've treated the head wounds and their waiting for the results of a scan to see if there are internal injuries. She ended up with a blood clot, which became very dangerous but they think they've cleared it now. All we can do at the moment is hope the scans come back clear and that she'll wake up. She's unconscious right now."

"She will wake up though?" Joey asked.

"Probably."

"But not definitely."

Susan sighed and shook her head. Ross burst into the room again.

"You need to not be in here," Susan warned.

"I'll behave myself," he promised, stepping closer to Joey who was terrified.

She told Susan that it was alright.

"I have one thing and one thing only to say to you, Joey," he said.

His voice was deep and threatening.

"Stay away from my daughter. You've brought her nothing but trouble and confusion. It's gone too far now, Joey. If you love her, you will leave her. You'll walk away and let her family take care of her. As long as you're around, you're only going to continue to put her in harm's way."

Joey listened, absorbing everything Ross said. She agreed.

"But can I please stay until we know she's going to be okay?" she asked. "I'll keep out of the way but please, please let me be around to hear that she's going to live."

Ross nodded reluctantly.

"Out of the way," he said.


	35. Chapter 35

_I hope this Chapter succeeds in healing your hearts!_

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Joey discharged herself and entered the corridor nervously. She perched in a chair and observed Charlie's loved ones hovering.

"How are you?" Jack asked kindly.

Watson came to sit beside her and Ruby hovered nearby, clearly feeling torn between her friend and her father. Joey nodded at Jack.

"I'm okay," she said.

Everyone looked up as Rachel finally exited Charlie's room. Ross rushed towards her. Ruby clung to his side. Joey stood up.

"She's going to be fine," Rachel assured them. "She's still unconscious but we're hoping she'll come round within the next hour."

"What kind of condition is she in?" Ross asked.

"Her right leg is broken in three places. Her left knee is fractured. Her jaw and shoulder have been dislocated but we've put them back into place now but she also has a fractured elbow on her left arm. We were extremely worried about a number of head injuries including to the back of her skull and a fractured cheek but the scans have come back clear."  
"So, no brain damage?" Ross urged.

"No brain damage and no reason why she won't wake up in due course. What we are worried about is her right eye. It got severely damaged during her ordeal and we don't know whether she'll retain her sight. We've bandaged up both eyes so that when she does come round, she isn't confused by possibly only being able to see out of one eye."

Joey felt tears roll down her cheeks, even though she had seen the state of her before she'd reached the hospital. Ruby cried out. Jack gently gripped her shoulders and guided her to her seat. Ross composed himself and turned to Joey, silently telling her that now she knew Charlie would survive, she could go. Joey stared right back at him, unmoving.

"Can we see her?" Ruby asked quietly.

Ross turned towards the door. He needed to compose himself before he saw his eldest child. And he didn't see the point of visiting while she was asleep. Ruby watched him go and faltered. She looked back at Rachel.

"One at a time," the Doctor replied.

Ruby glanced at Joey.

"Do you want to go first?" she asked, hoping she would say no.

"Please?" Joey asked.

She wanted to see Charlie and say goodbye before Ross came back and threw her out. Ruby nodded sadly and she, Jack, Watson and Leah watched in silence as Rachel showed Joey into the room.

***

Joey closed the door behind her. She walked slowly up to the bed, wiping her tears as she tried to take in the view of Charlie's broken body. She looked so small and helpless in the hospital bed. She gently took Charlie's seemingly lifeless hand in hers, being careful not to disturb the cast on her arm. She tenderly stroked her thumb up and down Charlie's fingers and gazed into her face. Her cheek had been stitched, as had her eyebrow which was just visible through the bandages over her eyes. Joey reached behind her and pulled the chair up. Sitting down on it and took a breath, hoping that through her sleep, Charlie may be able to hear her.

"I am so sorry for everything that's happened, Charlie," she began softly. "I know that it's all my fault. I'm leaving today and even though it breaks my heart, it's for your own good. You don't need me and my baggage complicating your life and getting you hurt."

She took a breath.

"I love you, Charlie Buckton. You are the centre of my universe and I have no idea what I'm going to do without you. But I know you'll be okay without me. You'll meet someone who deserves you and who can give you what you need, who can give you a good and happy life. I wish it could be me but even when I'm trying to do the right thing, I mess it up. And I know I've messed up with you, Charlie but that's something I never ever wanted to do. I only wanted to make you happy. I'm not going to hurt you again. I promise."

Joey let her thumbs continue to trace patterns on Charlie's hand. She used her other hand to stroke one of the only area of hair that wasn't matted with blood. Longing to gaze into Charlie's beautiful eyes one more time, she accepted that she couldn't and lowered her head to kiss her lips.

"Goodbye, Charlie. I'll never forget you."

She began to pull away when she felt pressure on her hand. She looked back, desperately hoping that Charlie was awake.

"Don't even think about leaving me," came a slurred warning.

"Charlie?" Joey said meekly, moving closer to her again.

"Joey… I've been… been battered almost… almost to death," Charlie said, taking pauses as she tried to find language and adjust to the darkness around her.

"Don't you dare walk away from me now."

Joey cried harder, leaning closer over Charlie.

"I have to," she said. "You'll be better off without me. You know you will. It's the right thing to do."

"In what world do you think that after everything that's just happened to me, having you ab… aban… abandon me is the helpful thing to do?" Charlie managed, albeit slowly.

Her voice was still slurred.

"I'm not… I'm not abandoning you, Charlie," Joey said, desperate to explain. "I'm trying to set you free."

"I was never trapped," Charlie protested. "I need you."

"But it's my fault!" Joey said, crying even harder. "I hurt you!"

"Stop… stop taking responsibility for other, for other people's actions. It was me who put myself at risk. It was Skip who… who tried to… to kill me. None of it was your fault, Joey."

"But she attacked you because of me," Joey protested.

"That's irr… irrelevant."

Joey sank back onto her chair, never breaking from Charlie's grasp.

"I don't know what my injuries are but I do know that I hurt in places that I didn't know existed," Charlie said carefully, gaining more of her senses. "I'm going to need you more than ever now. If you walk away from me, it should be because you can't… because you can't handle taking care of me."

"I want to take care of you!" Joey insisted.

"Then do it," Charlie replied simply.

Beneath what she presumed were bandages, she felt her eyes becoming moist with emotion. It was too much to have woken up from the ordeal she unfortunately remembered, and then to find Joey preparing to dump her.

"I can't… I can't keep letting you down, Charlie and if I stay, I know I will."

"You're a let down if you do this," Charlie insisted.

"Your Dad wants me to go," Joey admitted.

"What has Dad got to do with it? This is between us."

"I got you hurt. It was my fault."

"Stop saying that!" Charlie said, getting her voice as loud as possible, which wasn't very loud at all.

"I'm trying to do the right thing here. Why can't you understand that?"

"Has Dad told you to leave me?" Charlie asked.

Charlie couldn't see her but she knew Joey had nodded.

"Then you… you bring him in here right now because I, I hate the both of you for doing this to me."

"Please don't hate me…" Joey begged.

"I love you," Charlie said. "That's the point. I thought… I thought you loved me too."

"I do! Charlie, I love you more than life. If I could have changed places with you tonight I would have. In a heartbeat I would have done anything to protect you."

"Then protect me now. Tell me that you love me and that you're going to be here with me every step of the way."

"I will," Joey said breathlessly. "I'll be here. I won't go anywhere. I'll stay."

Charlie tried to smile. Her face hurt. Everything hurt.

"Am I… am I too much of a wreck for you to kiss me?" Charlie wanted to know.

Joey smiled, still feeling tense and out of breath.

"One side of your mouth isn't hurt," she said, reaching down and kissing the left area of her lips.

Charlie was frustrated that she couldn't really kiss her back but she relished the feel of Joey lips on hers. That's how they were meant to be. That's how they were always meant to be. When they parted, Joey looked for a place on Charlie's body that she could snuggle against.

"I'm going round to the other side of the bed, okay?" she said softly.

Charlie heard her footsteps and soon felt Joey holding onto her other hand and curling up against her arm. They lay like that for a long while, not speaking, just feeling grateful that they had the opportunity to be close again. Neither woman had believed they would ever be around each other again. Charlie had been convinced that she would die and Joey had believed she had no choice but to walk away. They were both alert when the door opened.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Ross boomed.

Joey leapt up. Charlie kept hold of her hand.

"Mr Buckton…" Joey began guiltily.

"I told you to stay away. Now we know she's going to be alright so you can get the hell out of town now."

Joey trembled.

"Dad!" Charlie burst out.

He was surprised. With the bandages over her eyes it had been almost impossible to tell whether she was awake or not. He came closer to the bed.

"Charlie?" he asked tentatively.

"Dad, don't you dare order Joey to leave me," his daughter warned.

"Charlie, she's poison! She's no good for you!"

"If you make Joey leave me," Charlie said slowly and carefully, "then I will leave you. And I'm fairly certain that I'll be able to take Ruby with me."

Ross just stared at her. So did Joey.

"Charlie, she nearly got you killed," Ross said.

Rachel entered the room, surveying the scene.

"Um… Ross, I don't mean to interfere but Joey's the reason that Charlie's still alive," she said.

Ross whipped his head round to glare at her.

"If you don't want to interfere, Rachel, then don't interfere."

"I'm sorry but I think some credit needs to go to Joey for the fact that she put herself at risk and got herself hurt in order to save Charlie's life. What she did tonight was nothing short of heroic."

Joey struggled with the praise. She focussed on Charlie's hand instead.

"Did you get hurt?" Charlie asked her.

"Only a little bit. Not much. I just had a couple of stitches."

She looked up, silently warning Rachel not to mention the necessity of brain scans, the severe bruising to her abdomen, the stitches above her eye or the deep grazes and bruises to her knuckles.

"Dad, don't take Joey away from me," Charlie pleaded.

She began to shake at the thought of losing Joey. There she was, trapped in a hospital bed. If Ross wanted to force her away or if Joey wanted to leave voluntarily, there was nothing she could do about it. She felt entirely helpless.

"Ross, I think you need to step outside," Rachel said firmly. "Charlie's too vulnerable to be getting distressed right now."

"What about _her_?" Ross asked, referring sharply to Joey.

"Please don't go, Joey!" Charlie begged. "Please stay with me!"

Panic was rising within her and she gripped Joey's hand.

"Charlie, you need to calm down," Rachel said, nudging in front of Ross and stepping closer to the bed.

She took hold of Charlie's other hand.

"Everything's okay. Joey's not going anywhere. Are you?"

She looked at Joey, urging her to speak up.

"I'm here," Joey said. "I'm not going to leave your side."

Charlie finally began to breathe normally, although she didn't stop squeezing Joey's hand with all her strength, which fortunately for Joey, wasn't a lot.

Rachel turned back to Ross and guided him out of the room. She closed the door behind him and returned to patient.

"What are my injuries?" Charlie asked.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Charlie woke up with a jolt. She had no concept of time and she still couldn't see but she felt a weight on her right arm, the only uninjured part of her body.

"Joey?" she called anxiously.

"I'm here."

Joey voice was sleepy and cute. Charlie smiled and felt reassured.

"What time is it?"

Joey, who had been asleep, resting her head on the bed beside Charlie, still clutching her hands, looked at her watch.

"It's four in the morning," she said.

Charlie groaned.

"I feel like I've got no concept of anything. I can't see. I can't feel anything except pain. The only bonus here is that I don't have that damn oxygen tube up my nose."

"Rachel said they'll take the bandages off this morning," Joey reminded her. "Things will feel clearer then."

Charlie nodded.

"I bet I look stunning, don't I?" she grinned, ignoring the pain in her cheek and lip.

"You look beautiful," Joey said sincerely.

Charlie chuckled.

"You're very cute for lying," she said affectionately.

"I'm not lying," Joey said. "No amount of injuries could stop you being beautiful."

She leant over and kissed that one spot on her mouth that wasn't hurt. Charlie felt around and managed to lift her hand to the back of Joey's neck, pulling her harder against her mouth. Joey grinned.

"You need to behave," Joey murmured into Charlie's mouth.

Charlie grumbled.

"How long will it take for at least my mouth to be fixed?" she asked.

Joey looked at the cut on Charlie's lip lower lip and the bruise above it.

"Hopefully only a few days," she said.

"What about the rest of me?" Charlie asked, her voice low.

Joey marvelled at how Charlie could be so seductive lying in a hospital bed, but she'd managed it.

"We'll have to ask Rachel," Joey told her, kissing her lightly one more time.

"Do you think Ruby will be back tomorrow? Today?" she corrected herself, remembering the time.

"Of course! Do you know how hard everyone had to work to get her to leave?" Joey laughed.

After Ross had departed Joey had stayed with Rachel to explain the situation to Charlie. As soon as Rachel had finished speaking, Ruby had lost the ability to control her desperation to see her sister and rushed into the room. The moment she'd laid eyes on Charlie, she's burst into tears – partly because of the state she was in and partly from pure relief that Charlie was talking and moving, albeit with severe limitations. She had stayed with her until Leah had been forced to take her away so that she could collect VJ, who had been deposited at Irene's house for the evening.

"She seemed pretty upset to see me," Charlie commented.

"It's hard to see you like this," Joey ventured.

"So ugly?"

"So hurt."

"I can't wait to get these bandages off," Charlie said. "I just want to know what I'm dealing with."

Joey yawned.

"Sorry, I'm keeping you up. What are you still doing here anyway?"

"I promised to stay by your side," Joey reminded her.

"I didn't mean literally. You can go home and sleep in a comfortable bed."

"I'm fine."

"And don't think I've forgotten that you were hurt too," Charlie added. "You've been really vague but I'll see it all later, won't I?"

"I've just got a few cuts," Joey said, not for the first time. "It's not big deal."

"How did you get them?"

"Just, you know, the hazards of helping to save you."

"Rachel said you saved me single-handed," Charlie pointed out.

"Well, Jack was the one who brought you to the hospital," Joey said.

"Who found me?"

She was certain it was Joey, judging by what Rachel had said and she had a vague recollection of Joey being with her in the woods.

"Um… I did," Joey admitted.

"And Skip was still there?"

She had a hint of memory about witnessing Joey and Skip together but she couldn't picture what they had been doing.

"Yeah, she was," Joey said. "But it's all over now so let's just forget about the whole thing."

She didn't want to talk about this. Charlie frowned.

"Sorry," she apologised. "I just… the last thing I remember really clearly is Skip leaving me handcuffed to that post and telling me that I was going to die slowly and painfully. It would help to know what happened next."

Joey sighed, deciding to be vague and quick.

"She took me to see you. She told me you were dead. I set you free and got you to the car. Then Jack and Angelo found us. Angelo set off to look for Skip and Jack took you and I to the hospital."

"Did Angelo find her?"

"I don't know."

"How did you get her to bring you to me?"

"She was sure you were dead so I guess she didn't think it would matter," Joey lied.

She was far from prepared to confess to Charlie that she had promised that she and Skip would be together, even though she hadn't meant it and had purely agreed in order to get to Charlie.

"And how did you convince her to let me go?"

"Does it matter?"

Joey was ashamed of attacking Skip, regardless of how necessary it had been and how much she had deserved it. Violence went against her nature and her moral code.

"Yes, it does."

Joey sighed.

"I hit her."

"You hit her?"

Joey worried that Charlie would be ashamed of her.

"Yes."

"You hate violence."

"There was nothing else I could do!" Joey said desperately. "She was expecting me to sit there and watch you die. And you looked like you were going to do just that any second. I had to do something."

"I'm not judging you," Charlie said gently, reaching out to hold her hand.

She felt Joey's palm in hers and ran her hand over her knuckles, furrowing her brow when the skin didn't feel quite right. Joey looked down at their joint hands.

"Some of the cuts are on my knuckles. From the fight," Joey explained.

Charlie nodded.

"So is that how else you got cut?" she asked. "She hit you back?"

"That's right."

"And how… how did you get me to the car? And how did you even drive the car? Did you drive it? Or did Jack and Angelo find us by then?"

"I put you in a blanket," Joey said heavily. "And I pulled you to the car. I feel terrible about it because it really hurt you but I had to get you to safety. I managed to get you into the back of the car and then I figured out which pedal did what while I attempted to steer."

"You really did save my life," Charlie agreed.

"And I did it with so much style!" Joey grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "None of this sweeping you up into my arms rubbish! Nope, I dragged you on a blanket. And driving… well, put it this way, by the time Jack and Angelo found us, the lights were flashing and the windscreen wipers were on because I kept failing to find the right buttons!"

Charlie laughed.

"It sounds like you did perfectly," she said. "Thank you."

Joey shrugged.

"Anyone would have…"

"Kept themselves out of harm's way," Charlie interrupted.

"I just did what needed to be done," Joey said. "What other choice was there? I couldn't let you slip away from me, from your family and your friends."

"The humblest of heroes," Charlie teased.

Joey blushed and then yawned again.

"You need to go to bed, Joey."

"I'll just rest my head here," Joey said.

She laid her head down in the space beside Charlie and kept hold of her hand.

"I can't even see you and I know that's not comfortable."

"It's fine," Joey said.

Charlie stopped nagging. Even though she was genuinely fretting about Joey's comfort, secretly she really didn't want her to go away.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Ruby was up at seven o'clock the following morning. She sprang out of bed, got ready, skipped breakfast and hurried straight over to the hospital, opting to walk because waiting for Leah to get up and give her a lift was far too frustrating. She had slept fitfully all through the night, unable to block the image of Charlie from her mind.

***

Angelo hadn't slept. He hadn't stopped looking for Skip, who seemed to have disappeared without a trace. He had a team, including an adamant but sneezing Watson working the scene and he was not relishing the prospect of having to go and interview Charlie and Joey about their ordeal.

***

Joey woke up aching. Sleeping hunched over Charlie's bed was really not the most comfortable position in the world but she was determined not to leave her. She stretched and looked into Charlie's face. She saw the hint of a smile and couldn't stop herself from smiling too. It was overwhelming to realise that even though she had put Charlie in danger and that, despite what Charlie insisted, she had caused her to get hurt, here they were, just as much in love as they had been before Skip had attacked.

"Morning," Charlie said.

Joey greeted her with a soft kiss on her hand.

"I won't even try and ask you how you slept," Charlie teased. "You've got to promise me that you'll go home tonight, okay?"

"I can make no such promise, I'm afraid," Joey said.

***

Ross had spent an uncomfortable night on the sofa, having argued with Morag about how he'd treated Joey. She'd declared that attempting to force Joey away from Charlie when Charlie didn't want her to go was completely out of order. She'd pointed out that Joey must have been terrified and it must have been as much of an ordeal for her as it was for Charlie and wading in screaming and shouting was completely the wrong thing to do. Ross had felt the wind slip out of his sails. He had expected Morag to support him, to help him protect his child but she had done no such thing.

***

Ruby burst into Charlie's hospital room smiling and holding a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates.

"Hey, Charlie, it's me," Ruby said, trusting that Charlie would recognise her voice.

"Hey, Rubes," Charlie greeted happily.

"I brought you some flowers and chocolates," Ruby said, suddenly shy. "I know you can't see the flowers yet but you will when the bandages come off."

Ruby had been privately fretting that Charlie would not regain her sight. She hoped that if she said she would as if it was fact then soon enough it would come true.

"I can smell them," Charlie said, touched by her sister's gesture.

Ruby brought them forward and handed them to Charlie. Charlie lost herself in the scent and smiled.

"They're beautiful, pink roses," Joey told her.

Charlie smiled wider. Joey took them and put them on the side.

"And the chocolates are your favourites."

"You're too good to me!" Charlie enthused. "Now gimme!"

The girls giggled as Ruby undid the packaging and pulled up a seat beside the hospital bed, thrilled to see her sister in such good spirits.

"I'm going to go and find something to put the roses in," Joey said, deciding that Charlie and Ruby needed some time alone. She stole a chocolate on the way and headed out through the door.

***

Skip didn't know what to do next. One minute she had been completely in control. Charlie was almost deceased and Joey was a broken mess. The next minute, Joey had fought her and then she'd blacked out. When she'd woken, the women were both gone and she could see flashing blue lights in the distance. She'd fled then and now found herself sitting in a run down bed and breakfast outside of Summer Bay. She'd been grateful that an obviously fake name wasn't a problem to the owner and she'd already seen a few unsavoury looking people hanging around. She didn't want to stay but she had nowhere to go. The plan had failed miserably.

***

"Oh, Charlie, I was so worried about you," Ruby confessed.

Charlie attempted to raise the arm that was in a cast, wanted to comfort her little sister. Ruby watched her struggle and provided her hand so that Charlie could stay in a comfortable position.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Charlie said kindly. "I never should have gone to talk to Skip by myself. I feel like I've let you down."

"Don't be silly!" Ruby scolded.

Charlie apologised again.

"But next time you get a bright idea like that, remember all this, okay?"

"I don't think I'll forget it in a hurry," Charlie assured her.

"Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Just from head to toe. Rachel's giving me a tonne of painkillers and stuff but it's barely noticeable."

Ruby felt terrible for her.

"But when I can get these stupid bandages off my eyes, I think I'll feel better."

"That'll be today, right?"

"Should be."

They stayed holding hands in silence for a while before Charlie spoke up.

"Ruby, if it doesn't go well when they take off the bandages, I need you to stay calm, okay?"

"I will," Ruby squeaked, uncertain that she was telling the truth.

"Whatever happens, we'll cope. We'll all cope together."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "How long will the rest of your recovery take?"

"Months, I guess. At best."

"I'll help Joey take care of you," Ruby promised.

"Thank you. I know it's going to be difficult so if I get grouchy at any point, I apologise now."

"Hey, I'm used to you being grouchy!" Ruby giggled.

Charlie protested playfully. They laughed. Ruby then surprised herself with tears. She broke away from Charlie's grasp to brush them away with both hands, grateful that Charlie couldn't see that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked.

Ruby took in a startled breath.

"I might not be able to see you but I can hear you and feel you, Ruby," Charlie explained.

Ruby sighed and put her hands back into Charlie's.

"I just can't get over how close you came to… to…"

Now it was Charlie's turn to sigh.

"I'm sorry to bring it up but I was just so frightened, Charlie. I know I've got Dad but you… you've been everything to me for my whole life, especially after Mum… The thought of losing you, it just…"

She felt completely unable to finish sentences.

"When I was out there," Charlie began softly. "All I could think about was you and Joey. I thought it was over and I was devastated mostly because it meant I wouldn't see you again. I felt cheated that I was being taken away from the people I love most. They say when you're in the situation, you think about the most important things and you and Joey are the two most important things in my world. I love you, Ruby and I'm so glad I've been given the chance to tell you."

Ruby cried harder and clutched Charlie's hand tightly.

"I love you too, Charlie," she said softly.

***

Rachel caught up with Joey in the corridor and followed her into Charlie's room, wondering how she was feeling, physically and emotionally after everything that had happened. Joey assured her that everything was alright and that all she wanted to do now was take care of Charlie.

"How's the patient?" Rachel asked, arriving by Charlie's hospital bed.

"Blind. How's the Doctor?" Charlie said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Ready to make sure you've got your sight back," Rachel replied.

Ruby stepped back from the bed and held onto Joey's hand. Joey guided her round to the foot of the bed as Rachel began to undress the bandages wrapped around Charlie's eyes. They waited with baited breath, desperate to know that everything was alright. Rachel pulled back. Charlie felt the light stinging her eyes and then figured that could only be a good thing. She opened up.

"You guys could at least have been smiling when I saw you again," she said.

The elation and relief on Joey and Ruby's eyes was something to treasure. Rachel beamed as both women rushed forward and then halted, trying to find a suitable body part to hug. Charlie may have kept her vision but the rest of her was still severely damaged.

"We'll need to do some test on you shortly," Rachel explained to Charlie. "Just to check everything is definitely okay."

Charlie nodded, taking in the room that had before been shrouded in darkness. She had never been so grateful for her eyesight as she was in this moment. She looked down at Ruby who had flung herself onto Charlie's chest, attempting not to squeeze too tightly. She gazed at her unruly but pretty hair and was so grateful to be allowed to see it again. Then she looked up at Joey who was behind Ruby, having settled for Charlie's hand, the one she had been holding all night long. Joey was more beautiful than Charlie even remembered, although she had her own stitches across her eyebrow and she quite clearly hadn't slept well. Her hair was messy and dishevelled but to Charlie, she was the vision of perfection. When the girls had both pulled away from Charlie, the patient looked at her Doctor.

"So, can I go home now?" she asked.

Rachel shook her head.

"But I can see!"

"You'll be allowed home in a few days but Charlie, you have a lot of healing to do."

Charlie looked down her body. Her arm and leg were both in a cast and her left knee was severely swollen and bruised. She tried not to think about the state of her face.

"How long until all this gets fixed?" she asked.

"The knee, arm and cheekbone will all take a minimum of six weeks," Rachel said. "You arm will be in the cast for that time and then you can start with physiotherapy. We'll need to treat your knee from now to get it working again. Your cheekbone should heal by itself but we'll need to keep checking on it."

"And my leg?" Charlie asked worriedly.

The cast clung to her from her foot all the way past her knee. If she remembered correctly from last night, she had broken it in three different places.

"That's the thing we're most concerned about and I'm afraid you're going to be in the cast for three months."

"Three months?" Ruby exclaimed, horrified.

"And then you'll be having physio for another two months," Rachel said.

"How am I meant to work?" Charlie asked, disappointed.

"I'm afraid you won't be working again for at least five months. You may just about manage to work from your desk a little bit before that but I don't recommend it."

"What am I meant to do if I'm not working?" Charlie protested.

"Recovering? Taking it easy? Letting us spoil you?" Joey suggested brightly.

Charlie tried to smile. She was grateful to be alive and the idea of spending all that time with Joey and her sister was wonderful but she loved her job. She knew she'd go crazy having to keep away.

"I think all of those are pretty good suggestions," Rachel concluded. "I'm just going to organise the tests, alright?"

Charlie nodded and Rachel departed.

"Looks like you guys are going to be stuck with me lounging around the house for a while," Charlie concluded with a sigh.

"That's a good thing!" Joey pointed out.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Four days later, Charlie was finally allowed to come home, albeit in a wheelchair because neither leg would hold her up and her arm couldn't take crutches. She suddenly felt very grateful that her room was on the ground floor. She was deeply unimpressed with the wheelchair, even though her father had gone out and purchased a funky electric one. She was grateful for his support but being confined made her feel horrible. All she could do was hold onto the fact that at least she was lucky enough for it to be temporary. In six weeks she'd be able to hobble about although that didn't help her now. With support from Joey, Charlie settled herself on the sofa and she planned to stay there for as long as possible. Joey had bought DVD's, chocolate and ice-cream to cheer her up and Charlie decided that if she was stuck this way, she was going to take full advantage of being pampered.

"Do you want a coffee?" Ruby asked.

"I've been stuck drinking the weakest, most foul tasting coffee in the world for five whole days," Charlie complained. "Yes please!"

Ruby giggled and headed into the kitchen. Joey sat beside Charlie who put her uninjured arm around her. Charlie sighed.

"This is going to be hell," she said.

"Only if you let it be," Joey said. "You need to just relax, okay? Ruby and I will take care of you for as long as you need."

"Five whole months?" Charlie questioned.

She already felt like a burden. It was her job to look after other people, not the other way around.

"For as long as it takes," Joey confirmed.

Charlie smiled and leant over to kiss her, not thinking about the pain that still existed in her lip. Pressing their mouths together, she was thrilled to discover there was no pain anymore. Pulling back she smiled widely. Joey looked confused.

"No pain!" Charlie declared. "My lips are back in action!"

Joey grinned, relieved, coming back for another kiss. For the first time in days, they were able to develop it into more than a lingering peck. Charlie felt Joey's tongue caress hers, eliciting a satisfied moan and choosing to ignore the fact that her cheek was still damaged. Losing herself, she attempted to raise her other arm but its brokenness made it too difficult so she focussed on the beauty of the kiss instead, savouring the way Joey felt and tasted. They reluctantly broke apart when Ruby entered, clearing her throat awkwardly. Charlie blushed and Joey laughed.

"Your mouth's feeling better, I take it," Ruby said.

Charlie had complained more about her split lip than her broken leg since she'd woken up. Ruby had received far too many explicit accounts of how much Charlie missed Joey's mouth.

"Okay, I'm going back to school," Ruby announced.

She hugged Charlie and Joey both and left the house.

"So, what do you want to do?" Joey asked.

"Make out," Charlie said immediately.

Joey laughed.

"I was thinking more about watching a movie or something."

"I want to make out," Charlie repeated.

It didn't take any more persuading than that.

***

An hour and a half later, Joey's lips were swollen from constantly kissing Charlie. Her fingers tingled from tracing them over Charlie's breasts, under her loose t-shirt and inside her bra. Charlie was frustrated that she couldn't get the angle right to explore Joey's body also so she settled for kissing her as passionately as her cheekbone would allow.

"Knock knock!" called a male voice.

They broke apart and Joey welcomed Angelo into the house. He had come to interview them both about what had happened that night with Skip, who appeared to have vanished into oblivion. Leading him into the room, Joey offered him a drink but he refused. He just wanted to get the interview over and done with. It was hard to see Charlie injured. She was always the strong, brave, capable cop. Witnessing her so vulnerable made his head spin.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Charlie nodded.

"I'm much better," she assured him.

Joey had already told her how worried he'd been and how he'd spent almost every moment of the day since the incident trying to find the perpetrator.

"Do you guys want to do your interviews separately or together?"

"Can Joey stay with me for mine?" Charlie asked, looking between both people.

"That's fine," Angelo said.

Joey nodded, touched that she wanted that level of support. Angelo set the tape recorder and opened his notepad.

"So, can you tell me how you ended up with Jennifer Tudor in the first place?" he asked.

Charlie sighed.

"It was my own fault really," she admitted. "I finally convinced Joey to make a statement about Skip… Jennifer Tudor, stalking her. I was really keen to go and talk to her and bring her in but there wasn't anyone to go with me."

Joey bit her lip, recalling that she had told Charlie to go with a female colleague. Maybe if she hadn't limited her, this wouldn't have happened.

"Eventually, I got so restless that I went alone to go and see her. I know it was stupid. I knew it was stupid at the time. She let me in and seemed reasonable enough but as soon as I was through the door, she locked it and attacked me."

"And where was this?"

"At the caravan park."

"Then what happened?"

"I woke up handcuffed to the sink," Charlie said. "I tried to convince her to let me go but she wasn't having any of it. She kept saying that I'd taken Joey away from her. I think she knew she'd made a mistake but it was too late for her to backtrack so I guess she decided to get rid of me. She seemed to believe that everything in her life would be fixed if I was gone. I suppose she thought that she could win Joey back if I was out of the picture."

She reached for Joey's hand.

"To be honest, things get kind of sketchy after that. She attacked me again and dragged me to the car. I remember drifting in and out of consciousness in the back of the car. She dragged me through the woods and beat me even more."

She felt Joey tense and felt a little guilty for making her hear it.

"I passed out from the pain and came to handcuffed to a post or something. I've never been in so much pain in my life and I could barely breathe, let along move. She told me that I was going to die and I believed her. She was planning on leaving me to bleed to death or get attacked by an animal or something."

Joey physically jolted.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked tenderly.

Joey nodded, fighting tears. How could Charlie have remained so cheerful since all of this? How could she be talking about this so calmly? She was obviously even braver than Joey had first realised, which was quite a feat.

"I tried to get her to..." Charlie faltered.

"To what?" Angelo asked.

Charlie shook her head. Bringing Joey into the interview hadn't been such a good idea.

"Charlie, this is important."

"I tried to get her to shoot me."

Joey tried not to react but a few tears spilled out. She took a breath. Charlie apologised.

"I didn't see any way out," she explained. "I just wanted it to be over quickly, you know? Not slowly. Not like that."

"What did you do?" Angelo asked.

"I provoked her. I rubbed my relationship with Joey in her face. I nearly succeeded."

Joey's hand went slack suddenly. Charlie gazed at her apologetically.

"But then she left me. I don't really remember much after that."  
"Nothing at all?"

"I remember crying. I remember losing all sense of time. I remember her coming back. And I remember Joey being there briefly but at the time I thought I was hallucinating. Then I woke up at the hospital."

They went through details of what Skip had been wearing and if Charlie could provide any ideas as to where she might have gone. Charlie suggested the city she'd arrived from but couldn't help any other way.

"Okay, Charlie, I think that's enough for now. Joey, are you ready for your turn?"

Joey wiped her eyes. She wasn't ready at all.

"Do you want me to go?" Charlie asked.

Joey shook her head. She could do this. And she could admit to agreeing to be with Skip as well. She took a breath and began.


	39. Chapter 39

_Gunni11's reward for my surprise. I confess to blushing a little while writing this but I thought they deserved some relief from all the trauma!_

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

"Do you hate me?" Joey asked nervously, lying beside Charlie in bed that night.

Charlie turned to her curiously.

"Hate you?"

"Because of what I said to Skip."

She hadn't stopped fretting about it since it had happened but especially since she had confessed to Charlie and Angelo. Charlie reached out and stroked Joey's cheek.

"Sweetheart, of course I don't hate you," she said. "You said that so that you could save me, not because you wanted to be with her. Right?"

"Right!" Joey said quickly. "Of course, right."

"Well then why would I hate you? How could I ever hate you?"

She leant awkwardly across the bed and kissed Joey, letting it develop immediately but once more, she was frustrated by her physical limitations. She sighed against Joey's mouth. Joey's felt Charlie's despair, wanting to be close to her too.

"Hey," Joey whispered.

She guided Charlie gently onto her back, kissing her tenderly. She trailed kissed down her jaw and throat, reaching the top of her t-shirt. Gently, she guided Charlie's broken arm out of the sling and slipped her out of her t-shirt, happily admiring the body beneath her clothes. Charlie may still have been bruised but to Joey, she was perfect. She planted soft kisses over every area of exposed flesh that she could find before reaching behind her and unhooking her bra. Charlie basked in the delight of contact with Joey. It felt like it had been a life time, although in reality, they had only made out that afternoon. After paying a vast amount of attention to her breasts, Joey slipped down and carefully slipped the rest of Charlie's clothes off, careful not to disturb her leg or knee. She settled herself between her legs, savouring the texture and taste of her and her own ability to bring her pleasure.

***

An hour and several orgasms later, Charlie and Joey were both exhausted. Joey planted more kisses on Charlie's mouth, gazing at her with nothing but love in her eyes.

"Swap sides with me," Charlie said.

"What?" Joey said.

"Swap sides with me," Charlie repeated.

Joey obliged and Charlie awkwardly shifted her position. When they were settled, she reached her uninjured hand, which was now free, out to remove Joey's vest top. Joey smiled naughtily and helped to remove her bra as soon as Charlie tried to reach inside it. Charlie began to tease her and Joey happily relaxed into her touch, feeling immediately aroused. Noting that Charlie was struggling to crane her neck to reach her, Joey moved to allow her to gain access, thoroughly enjoying the sensation. Charlie's hand slipped to Joey's fly and slipped inside. Joey pulled away when she noticed Charlie wince.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's just awkward leaning on my arm," Charlie said, her voice full of disappointment.

"It's fine," Joey said gently, kissing her lips. "We don't have to do this."

"But I want to."

Joey kissed her again.

"Hey, I'm sure we can work out some positions that won't hurt," Charlie said thoughtfully, guiding Joey back into her arms.


	40. Chapter 40

_Okay, so I know, I haven't updated for a while... two days, as Charliefan kindly pointed out to me so here goes an update on each story for your reading pleasure! Enjoy!_

**Chapter Forty**

Charlie growled and thumped the arm of the couch in frustration. Tears ran down her face, her fist hurt and her body trembled. Joey raced out of the kitchen.

"Honey, are you okay?" she asked.

She saw her girlfriend shaking on the couch with a broken mug at her feet. The content was spilt and Charlie was sobbing. Joey headed over,

"No, I'm fucking useless!" Charlie snapped.

"What? Of course you're not useless," Joey said gently.

It was a week later and Charlie was recovering too slowly. She was a cop. She was used to being active and able. She didn't like being confined and looked after, although Joey and Ruby were both doing sterling jobs. They were both being so kind to her and she was so grateful but she couldn't help but feel frustrated.

"I can't even drink a cup of coffee, Joey!" Charlie yelled.

"It's okay," Joey said calmly. "I'll get you another one."

"I should be able to get it myself."

"And in a few weeks you'll be able to."

"Five weeks. That's over a month away."

Joey sat down on the sofa and held her.

"Have patience."

She kissed her. Charlie sighed.

"I just want to be better," she said sadly.

"I know," Joey empathised. "You will be."

***

"Don't scratch," Joey warned through the darkness as she and Charlie lay side by side in bed that night.

Charlie stopped fidgeting guiltily and frowned. Joey reached over and held her.

"Sorry," Charlie said. "These casts itch like a bitch."

"I know this is hard," Joey said tenderly, "but we're going to get through this together."

***

Five weeks later, Charlie was thrilled to be hobbling out of the hospital on crutches. Her leg was still broken but her arm was out of the cast and after a lot of physiotherapy, her knee was almost healed. She did a triumphant little wiggle that made Joey giggle and slip her arms around her. Pulling her close, they kissed and headed to where Angelo was waiting in the car.

"You have an arm!" the policeman declared.

"I do!" Charlie said, climbing into the front seat.

Joey climbed into the back and Angelo dropped them home.

***

Once alone, Charlie hobbled straight to the bedroom, insisting that Joey follow her.

"It's the middle of the afternoon," Joey pointed out.

"Firstly, like that ever stops us," Charlie said. "And secondly, this is the first time in six weeks that I have use of both my hands. We are taking advantage!"

Joey chuckled as Charlie, balancing on one foot, set to work on her clothes.

***

Skip set her bags down in her motel. She had been away for six weeks, travelling and never settling and now she had finally decided to come back to Summer Bay. There were demons to face here and she was nothing if not a fighter. She accepted that she had done the wrong thing by hurting Charlie and she was desperate to make it right. She didn't want Joey to hate her. She loved her. She wanted to be with her. She had to find a way to fix this.

***

Charlie sat the bar while Joey worked; grabbing her attention every time she wasn't busy. She was one month away from getting the cast off her leg and the moment couldn't come too soon. Charlie couldn't wait for the whole sorry mess to be behind her. Two months after the cast was removed, she would finally be allowed to return to work and she couldn't wait to resume her normal life. She looked up when Watson entered the bar in her day clothes. She approached.

"Hey, Watson."

"Hi, Charlie. How are you feeling?"

"I'm healing," Charlie said, trying to sound positive. "Any news on Skip?"

Watson shook her head.

"I'm really sorry, guys. It's like she's disappeared off the face of the earth," Watson said.

All three women frowned.

"I'm sorry," Watson said.

"You mean she could pounce at any moment," Charlie concluded.

Joey reached over the bar and held her hand.

"We won't rest until we find her," Watson promised.

"Well, I can't wait until I'm fit for work," Charlie said. "Then I can find her myself."

"You know you won't be allowed to do that, Charlie," Watson said.

"Do you think I care?" Charlie asked seriously.

Both Watson and Joey knew Charlie would be hell bent on revenge or justice, whichever opportunity presented itself first.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-One**

Charlie and Joey sat eating lunch together in the Diner. Joey looked over her sandwich at her girlfriend curiously, knowing there was something on her mind but feeling completely unable to figure out what it was.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

"Huh? Me? Nothing," Charlie lied.

Joey grinned.

"Charlie…"

"I'm fine!"

"Well, I know that but what's on your mind?" Joey teased.

Charlie blushed and shifted in her seat. She laid her hand atop Joey's across the table and looked into her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Joey asked, starting to feel a little nervous.

"Yeah, everything's great. In fact, everything's really great."

"So…?"

Joey searched Charlie's eyes, feeling puzzled.

"Okay, I know this isn't the most romantic circumstance in the world but what with you being at mine all the time looking after me and everything, I was thinking… well, there's little point in you paying rent at your place. So, I was wondering if maybe… well, would you like to perhaps… would you like to move in with me? And Ruby and Leah and VJ?"

Charlie coloured and looked away. Suddenly her sandwich was fascinating. Joey's mouth hung open. She could hardly believe that Charlie had suggested that they move in together. She didn't know what to say. Charlie glanced back at her, unnerved by Joey's silence.

"Sorry," she said. "It was a stupid idea. Forget I said anything."

She started to pull her hand away but Joey held it in place.

"I'd love to live with you, Charlie," she said.

"Really?"

"Really!"

Charlie beamed, delighted. She leant over the table. Joey met her half way and they kissed, ignoring the fact that Colleen was staring at them. She hadn't quite got used to them as a couple yet, although she had expressed feelings of bravery when she had heard about their ordeal.

"Wow," Joey said thoughtfully. "I never thought I was the moving-in type."

"I never thought you were either," Charlie admitted. "I never thought I was! I mean, I did it once but that was a disaster."

"Was that the guy your Dad told me about?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"It was a really bad idea. This would be the first time I'd move in with someone because I really wanted to."

"I'm really excited!" Joey admitted.

"Me too!"

***

"I can't believe I actually get this cast off tomorrow," Charlie said.

A week later, with Joey having all moved in, Charlie was stretched out on the bed as Joey got ready for an evening shift at work. Joey stopped and smiled at her, knowing how excited Charlie was. There would be two months of physiotherapy left to do and then finally their lives could begin to get back to normal again.

"Mmm, I know," she said. "I bet you're excited."

"Most definitely," Charlie said.

She reached her arms out. Joey moved closer and allowed Charlie to embrace her. They began to kiss and Joey's breath caught when Charlie's hands slipped inside Joey's open shirt.

"Hey," Joey protested weakly. "I'm meant to be getting ready for work."

"So?"

"So I'm going to be late."

Charlie reached up and eased one of Joey's bra straps down, returning her fingertips to the most sensitive part of Joey's breast. Joey felt herself go weak at the knees as her skin began to tingle. Painfully aware of the time, she struggled to resist Charlie's charms.

"I really can't be late," she said. "I'm late for almost every shift these days."

Charlie replaced her fingers with her tongue. Joey gave in and flopped onto the bed.

"Surf Club be damned," she breathed. "Have your wicked way with me!"

***

"You're late," Aden said when Joey finally arrived at the bar.

He was her new colleague and the two of them got along pretty well so, although he sounded stern, she knew he didn't really mind. Joey was mostly just grateful that Alf wasn't around that night.

"Sorry," she said, ducking behind the bar.

"What's your excuse this time?" he asked. "Broke a nail?"

"Exceptionally hot girlfriend," she replied, without missing a beat.

Aden just stared at her. He shook his head as she began to serve drinks to a waiting customer.

"How can you be so sure of yourself that you think that's an okay answer?" he asked incredulously.

She turned to face him.

"Oh come on," she said. "Belle offers herself to you five minutes before your shift starts. You're telling me that you're going to turn around and say work comes before she does?"

"You make a good point," Aden laughed.

***

Charlie hobbled into the living room and found Ruby studying at the table with Xavier, Ruby, Jai, Annie, Geoff and Nicole.

"Study party, I see!" she commented.

"We have a massive presentation tomorrow," Ruby grumbled.

"Ooh, what's the subject?" Charlie asked.

"Cultural diversity," Nicole said.

"We have to give different opinions on moral codes and stuff," Annie said.

"Good job we all have differing opinions on certain things," Ruby snapped at her friend.

The two girls glared at each other. Charlie opted to stay out of it, although she suspected that Ruby had received some grief from certain members of that group about her relationship with Joey.

"Hey, are you looking forward to getting your cast off?" Jai asked. "Ruby said it comes off tomorrow."

Charlie smiled pleasantly.

"Yeah, first thing in the morning," she said. "I can't wait!"


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-Two**

Joey kissed Charlie goodbye. They both felt a little nervous that Charlie was starting back at work after five months off. Her injuries were all healed but they both knew she was emotionally vulnerable. She had been through such a trauma with Skip and had endured several nightmares during her time away.

"Call me when you're on your lunch break and I'll come and meet you," Joey said.

"I will," Charlie said.

They kissed again and Charlie strode out to meet Watson at the car, still proud that she could walk all by herself.

***

Joey was pleased with herself for being on time for work and Aden was shocked.

"Charlie's gone back to work today," she explained, reading his expression.

He nodded in understanding.

***

Charlie felt good. She had so far patrolled, broken up a fight, done an interview and filled out some paperwork, all without any hassle. Watson had been a blessing and she was ever so grateful. Charlie had opted to invite her to lunch with her and Joey to say thank you.

***

"So, are there any ladies in your life?" Joey asked, before biting into her deliciously unhealthy burger.

Watson blushed. She loved and hated that Joey was so direct about these things.

"No," she said. "No ladies."

"Good!"

"Joey!" Charlie scolded.

"No, I mean good because I have a date for you," Joey explained.

"A date?" Watson asked nervously.

"There is this beautiful lesbian that comes into the bar three nights a week," Joey said.

"You're noticing beautiful lesbians?" Charlie queried suspiciously.

"Not for me, silly," Joey giggled. "For Watson!"

Watson was officially crimson.

"Her name's Davina, she's twenty-eight years old and she's lovely. She's pretty and funny. I have no idea why she's still single. We should arrange a double date."

"Well…" Watson said, feeling shy.

"I don't think 'no' is an option I'm afraid," Charlie said. "You know what she's like when she gets an idea into her head."

Watson laughed, knowing Charlie was right.

"Great! I'll arrange it then!"

***

Music played softly in the background, candles set the lighting perfectly and the mood was romantic. Charlie and Joey held hands across the table and they didn't care that they were struggling to eat one handed. They were grateful to have been given a corner table by the window that overlooked the sea. The restaurant was out of town, away from the prying eyes of the locals. Here they didn't care who was watching. Joey leant across the table and planted a kiss on Charlie's delicate mouth.

"Have I told you yet how proud I am of you?" she asked.

"Maybe once or twice," Charlie said, feeling a little light headed from Joey's affection. "Bu you can say it again if you like."

"A lesser person would have just walked away," Joey continued, sitting back in her chair. "But you just kept going and didn't let what happened get you down. You are the bravest person I have ever met. I love you so much."

This time, Charlie leant forward and kissed Joey.

"Hey, shall we settle the bill and get out of here?" Joey suggested.

Charlie waved at the waitress before Joey had even finished her sentence.

***

Outside, Charlie began heading to the car but Joey stopped her in her tracks. Charlie looked at her curiously.

"Let's walk along the beach," Joey said.

Hand in hand, they approached the sand, finding a stretch where nobody was around. Joey broke into a run towards the surf immediately. Laughing, Charlie gave chase, thrilled that she was physically able now. She stood, stunned as Joey began to strip off.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Skinny dipping!" Joey declared.

"Joey!"

"Come on, the beach is deserted!"

"But…"

Joey stood there in trousers and a bra with raised eyebrows and a teasing smile on her face.

"A cop getting arrested for public indecency will not go down well," Charlie objected.

Joey slipped her trousers off.

"I'll go down well enough for the both of us," she grinned.

Charlie had palpitations as Joey removed her underwear and turned to walk into the water. Submerging herself, she turned back to face Charlie.

"Are you really going to make me do this alone?" she asked.

Charlie relented and stripped off, glancing round at every moment, worried that someone might find them. She entered the water. Joey came to greet her, their wet, naked bodies connecting, their lips meeting in a kiss. Charlie's fears about getting caught were soon forgotten as Joey's fingers began to explore beneath the surface of the water, immediately working towards bringing Charlie to climax. Charlie breathed heavily, clinging onto Joey's body, feeling completely safe.

***

"Float," Joey whispered quietly, some time later.

"What?" Charlie asked, surprised.

"On your back," Joey urged.

Charlie did as she was told and Joey moved between her legs. Charlie felt the breeze caress her breasts which were now above the surface of the water. She gasped as Joey set to work yet again to bring her pleasure.

***

Charlie and Joey giggled as they exited the water, finally coming back to earth and realising where they were.

"You're a very badly behaved police officer," Joey commented.

"I'm the badly behaved one?" Charlie shrieked.

"Mmm hmm!" Joey laughed.

They stood naked in the moonlight, wondering how on earth they could get dry. Joey opted to put her clothes on while she was still wet and Charlie followed suit, although it wasn't very comfortable. They decided against underwear, shoving it in their pockets instead. They kissed and held each other one more time before heading back to the car, their hands entwined.

"I told you I'd go down well enough for the both of us," Joey commented.

***

The following morning, Charlie was up and out unhappily early but Joey was thrilled to have a day off. She arrived at the police station as soon as she got the mail. A letter had been redirected from her old apartment.

_Dear Joey,_

_I'm really sorry for what happened. I hope it doesn't affect how we feel about each other._

_Forever yours,_

_Skip_


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

"Do I look alright?" Charlie asked, presenting herself to Joey.

She was in a figure hugging red dress. They were preparing to go out on the double date with Watson and the random lesbian Joey had found for her, Davina something or other.

"Am I really the right person to ask?" Joey asked, grinning. "To me, you'd look good in anything. You'd look good in nothing. Hmm… you'd look really good in nothing."

Joey swept Charlie into an embrace and smothered her in kisses, letting her hands roam. Charlie moaned and reluctantly put a halt to proceedings.

"We're going to be late."

"Once they hook up, they'll understand," Joey said, continuing.

Charlie relented. She eventually stopped her again.

"Behave! You can ravish me later!"

"That'd better be a promise."

"Believe me, it is. Now seriously, do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful," Joey said honestly. "Me?"

She was wearing black jeans that could easily be disguised as trousers and a white shirt.

"Stunning as ever."

Joey did a happy dance as she and Charlie headed out of the door hand in hand.

***

Charlie, Joey, Watson and Davina sat together in the Diner at a candlelit table in the corner.

"I'm so glad you guys could both make tonight," Joey said, unable to stop smiling.

The more Watson stared at the tall, leggy, busy, blonde, the more she was also glad that they could both make the night too. Good pick, Joey, she thought to herself.

"Me too," she managed.

"Yeah," Davina said, although she was looking at Charlie more than Watson.

Joey's girlfriend is really hot, she thought to herself. She shook herself and turned her attention to her date, who admittedly, was cute enough.

"So, what do you do?" Watson asked.

"Oh no!" Joey objected. "No work talk tonight!"

Charlie grinned. She knew Joey hated it when she and Watson got carried away with 'cop stuff'. The only time that Charlie was ever allowed to take her work home with her was when it involved something kinky. Sipping her wine, she mulled over some ideas.

"Are you new in town?" Charlie asked Davina.

"Yeah, I moved here a couple of weeks ago," Davina said. "I'm getting a transfer for w.o.r.k."

The others laughed.

"Okay, I like to ask the politically incorrect questions," Davina said. "Are we all gay, bi, somewhere in between? I'm bisexual, to start with."

Charlie cringed. She still hadn't quite figured herself out yet.

"I'm gay," Joey said.

"Me too," said Watson.

"I'm…" Charlie began.

She looked at Joey. Joey was her world. She was her sun, moon and stars. She'd had relationships with men that didn't quite measure up. Joey was her past, present and future as far as Charlie was concerned.

"In love with Joey," she concluded.

Joey held her hand over the table. That was good enough for her.

***

As the evening drew on, Watson and Davina seemed to be getting along very well and Joey was thrilled. She desperately hoped that something would happen between the two of them. She loved nothing better than a good set-up. If nothing else, it was a good distraction for both her and Charlie who felt unsettled beyond the telling of it now that Skip had sent the first of what they hoped was merely a letter-writing campaign. Why couldn't she just leave them in peace? Joey had been holding Charlie through countless sleepless nights already and last night had been even worse. There had been tears and trembling as they both double checked the locked doors and looked in on Ruby repeatedly to make sure she was safe. They were frightened of each other getting hurt and the pain starting again and they vowed to stick together. It would be very difficult to part ways and go to work tomorrow. Both were aware that they would constantly be on the phone every five minutes checking on each other. Joey stopped her thoughts from wandering and returned her attention to the table.

"Excuse me," Charlie said, heading to the ladies room.

"I'll come," Joey said, following, partly because girls went to the toilets in twos, partly because she hoped Davina and Watson needed privacy, partly because she was nervous about Skip again and partly because she wanted to steal a few moments with Charlie.

***

Inside the cubicle, Joey immediately began fumbling with Charlie's clothes.

"Joey, we're in a toilet!" Charlie protested.

"So?" Joey said, completely unfazed.

Charlie shrugged and let her continue.

***

Afterwards, the girls began to fret about how much time had escaped them.

"Do you think they'll know?" Charlie asked, attempting to fix her hair.

"Honey, everyone always knows," Joey laughed.

Exiting the ladies, they wandered back towards their table, only to find Davina and Watson kissing at the table. Joey cast a glance at Colleen, flustered at the counter. She headed over to pay their bill. Colleen could barely talk, let alone add up. Charlie and Joey approached Davina and Watson, who were equally flustered at being interrupted.

"We've paid the bill," Joey whispered. "Head out whenever you're ready."

Joey took Charlie's hand and led her out of the Diner.

"We never got dessert," Charlie suddenly realised, pouting as they left.

Joey waved a box with her free hand. She winked.

"I ordered it to go."

Charlie began to walk faster, half-dragging Joey home.

***

"Charlie! Joey!" Ruby yelled, banging on the bathroom door. "I'm going to be late for school! You're _both_ going to be late for work!"

After what felt like an eternity, the women emerged sheepishly and hurried into their bedroom mumbling apologies. Ruby tutted and finally commenced her beauty regime, wondering if, when she was their age, she'd still behave like a teenage who couldn't control herself.

***

Joey arrived at the Surf Club. Aden did not look impressed. His powerful arms were folded across his chest and he was frowning. She peered at him and winked when she realised that he was trying to suppress a grin.

"You really are the cheekiest woman alive," he said.

"I know," she replied shrugging.

"Do you take this job seriously at all?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then why are you always late?"

"I make it up with overtime and in my defence, I'm rarely late when I know Alf's going to be here," Joey said.

Aden laughed and began to wipe the bar down so it was extra shiny.

"Was it worth it?"

"Always!"

She quickly sent a text to Charlie to make sure she had arrived safely at work. Today was going to be hard, although in theory, providing Charlie didn't take any more daft risks, at the police station, she should at least be safe there.

***

"Okay, guys, sorry I'm late," Charlie said hurriedly, bursting into the station. "We've got a new recruit starting today."

She felt guilty, as she hadn't looked at the new person's paperwork. She didn't even know the new person's name, age or gender or what station they were arriving from. She looked up at her assembled staff – Watson, Jack, Angelo and... Davina!

"Oh! Hi!"

Everyone grinned back at her, especially Watson who was blushing immensely.

"Well, I see everyone's already been introduced," Charlie said.

"Some better than others!" Angelo commented, nudging Watson.

Charlie tried not to laugh as Watson bordered on purple. As soon as Charlie was in her office, she answered Joey's text. She warned her to stick to Aden like 'shit to a blanket' as her very uncouth grandmother used to say. She needed her to stay safe. If Skip was going to show up, she need never find a vulnerable moment.

***

Joey was busily serving customers when she heard someone clear their throat. For a moment her blood turned cold as she thought it might be Skip but the voice that followed was too deep.

"Mr Buckton!" she exclaimed when she turned round.

Charlie's father stood there, attempting not to glare at her as he leant across the bar top. He chewed his lip nervously, obviously a habit that Charlie had picked up from him.

"How... how are you?" she asked.

They hadn't really seen each other since the argument at the hospital. He'd visited Charlie but Joey had always excused herself, leaving father and daughter alone. She knew he blamed her for what Charlie was going through and wanted her to leave and stay away from his precious girl. Joey wasn't prepared to leave Charlie but she didn't want a showdown every time Ross wanted to spend time with his daughter either so she stayed away temporarily, whenever he was around instead. That seemed to suit both of them. It was unspoken between them. Seeing him there surprised her to say the least.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm, I'm okay. Thank you."

They looked at each other uncertainly.

"Listen, Joey, I don't want there to be any bad blood between us," Ross ventured.

"Nor do I."

"I understand that you're part of Charlie's life. I don't like it but I accept it. And it's ridiculous that we can't be in the same room together. So, let's just call a truce, alright?"

Joey nodded slowly.

"I'd like that," she said.

He extended his hand. She shook it.

"So, would you and Charlie like to come to dinner with Morag and I tonight?" he asked.

"We would love to," Joey accepted, beaming.

***

Skip hovered outside the Diner dressed in black. She needed to see Joey and she was certain that she would come here at some point for lunch. She usually did. She just hoped that nobody else spotted her before she could make contact. This was far too important to mess up.

***

"So, Watson and Davina, hey?" Angelo said, nodding approvingly, as Charlie pulled up outside the Diner.

"One of Joey's bright ideas," Charlie explained.

"Bet Watson's grateful!" Angelo said.

"Go get lunch," Charlie ordered. "I'll wait in the car."

"Yes boss!" Angelo said, saluting and getting out of the car.

Charlie waited, considering popping into the Surf Club for a quick kiss and cuddle with Joey but using all her self control to resist. She had texted only five minutes ago so she knew she was safe. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel and looked out of the window. A figure in the distance caught her eye. Someone was dressed all in black. Nobody dressed that way, covering their entire bodies while in Summer Bay. It was too warm. The person must be sweltering. With her police instincts in gear, Charlie couldn't help but feel suspicious. She looked towards the Diner. Angelo had only just gone in. She knew she should learn from her mistakes. She'd nearly died going after Skip alone. Skip. What if it was her? She studied the figure. He or she wasn't facing Charlie. They were round the corner from the Diner, staring at the entrance the same as she was. If Charlie got out of the car, she could creep up and tackle them, take them by surprise. If they were innocent, she could apologise and move on, explain it as some embarrassing mistake. If they were up to no good, she would have done the right thing. Charlie was up and out of the car before she had even finished her own thought process. She silently moved towards the figure.

***

Skip was certain that if she stared at the Diner door any longer she would bore a hole through the door. Sighing, she turned around, just in time to be tackled to the floor. Charlie Buckton had knocked her to the ground.

***

Charlie's heart was beating wildly in her chest as she threw Skip down to the ground. Skip's eyes widened in surprise as she hit the grass. Charlie gripped her shoulders. Her own arms were violently shaking as she held her there. She suddenly realised that her entire body was trembling and she was breathing heavily, more with emotion than exertion. She had the woman who had nearly killed her, caused her such agony, tormented her and her girlfriend and stolen months of her life, within her grasp and she didn't know what to do with her.

"What are you doing back here?" she finally managed.

"I... I need to see Joey."

"You will never ever see Joey!" Charlie yelled.

She gripped her by her clothes and slammed her hard against the ground. She only realised that she was crying when her tears landed on Skip's face.

***

Angelo balanced two coffees and two sandwiches and pushed open the Diner door. He stopped when he saw Charlie pinning a woman dressed in black on the floor. Dropping the lunches, he broke into a run, calling his Senior's name.

***

Charlie forcefully flipped a struggling Skip onto her front and pulled out her handcuffs, new ones, since her own were now pieces of evidence, and slapped them over Skip's wrists without any ceremony.

"Jennifer Tudor, I am arresting you for harassment, abduction, assault, attempted murder and everything else that I can possibly get away with!" Charlie shouted.

Angelo hovered, wanting to interfere as Charlie hauled her attacker to her feet.

"Charlie, you need to let me take over," he said.

Charlie glared at him.

"You need to let me do this," she warned.

She was not in the mood to be told what to do. He sighed and nodded as she pushed Skip towards the car.

"This is police brutality," Skip complained under her breath.

"Do you want to push me?" Charlie snarled back.

She turned to Angelo as the two of them climbed into the front of the patrol car.

"Call Joey and let her know what's going on."

Charlie began to drive and Angelo pulled out his phone.

***

That evening, after a long day at the police station making statements and ensuring that Skip got locked up for the night, pending a hearing that would hopefully ensure that she did not get bail, Charlie and Joey were exhausted. Sitting in the living room, Joey opened a bottle of champagne. The cork popped loudly and shot across the room. Charlie ducked involuntarily, even though it wasn't heading in her direction. They both giggled as Joey poured the liquid into two glasses.

"To _our_ freedom!" Charlie proposed.

They clinked them together, curled their arms around each other and drank, still laughing as they sipped their drinks. Setting their glasses down, Joey pulled Charlie close and kissed her.

"You taste of bubbles," she said.

"So do you."

They kissed again. Joey picked up both glasses in one hand, careful not to spill, and took Charlie's hand in the other, leading her to the bedroom. Charlie grabbed the bottle as they left the room.

***

In their room, they set the champagne down before falling on the bed, kissing intensely.

"You really are my everything, Joey," Charlie said. "Going to the bar that night in the city… I never knew it was a decision that was going to change my life. Because it was the best thing I ever did. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and the only thing between us that I would change is that I never would have left that first morning. I would have stayed with you from that moment on."

Joey reached up and stroked Charlie's face.

"And I would never have let you go," she relied.

***

_Hi everyone. Thank you all, as ever, for reading and reviewing this story. This feels like it could be a good time to draw this story to a close, although I confess I will miss cheeky Joey and Charlie and I do have a lot of other story-arc ideas so I'm not quite sure. I think I need to mull it over as to whether to continue or not. You guys are always my guides and I trust your opinions more than my own really when it comes to this kind of thing so if you choose to review this chapter and would like to say whether you'd like it to cease or continue, I would definitely take heed and be grateful! Much love to you all, IJKS xxx_


	44. Chapter 44

_Continued by popular demand... (thanks everyone – you all officially ROCK!). Also, for those of you reading my other story, I didn't want to tamper _Interwoven _with my own comments (like I have here) but I sincerely apologise for the content of Chapter Six. Please don't hate me. In Chapter Seven, I will have an aside that will attempt to defend my actions! For now, enjoy the rest of Cheeky CJ! Oh and the comment below about Davina looking hotter in uniform than Charlie is only Watson's opinion. The author remains entirely convinced that nobody wears it better than our girlie!_

**Chapter Forty-Four**

In uniform, Charlie sat beside Joey in court. She held her girlfriend's hand and never once took her eyes off Skip as they listened to the judge. Relief flooded both of them as it was decided that Skip would not be awarded bail. She would remain in custody until her trial, and hopefully for a very long time after that.

***

At work, Watson could not stop smiling. The last two nights that she had spent with Davina had been amazing. After her last relationship and her brief crush on Joey, she didn't think she would ever meet anyone again. She certainly never thought she would have ever met anyone as beautiful as Davina, who was as perfect as a Barbie doll. Joey at least deserved a bunch of flowers for getting them together! Davina walked across the station. Watson hadn't thought anyone looked hotter in uniform than Charlie but Davina had the edge. She made a note not to say that to Joey. She valued her life! Catching Davina's eye, she smiled even more. Davina approached and leant over the reception desk.

"Listen," the blonde said awkwardly.

Watson's face fell. She felt her heart breaking already.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything but you and I… we're not, I mean, it's not a serious thing to me, okay?"

"Okay," Watson squeaked.

"I want to keep seeing you and everything," Davina clarified. "I think you're lovely. But I don't want to be exclusive. It might not go anywhere. Does that make any sense?"

"I think so."

"So, we're good?"

"We're good."

"Great!"

Watson smiled, not quite as genuinely as before. Davina continued on her way.

***

That evening, Charlie, Joey and Ruby finally attended the dinner with Ross and Morag that they'd had to postpone the night before due to Charlie's arrest of Skip. Morag had cooked and the food was delicious. They sat around Roman's kitchen table. He, Nicole and Aden had made themselves scarce so that the family could bond in peace.

"So, that awful woman didn't get bail?" Ross asked.

"Nope," Charlie said happily. "If all goes well, she won't see freedom for a very long time. She's got a list of charges against her as long as my now healed arm!"

Joey grinned and sipped her Diet Coke.

"Not that you're angry or anything," Ruby commented.

"It's righteous anger so it's acceptable," Charlie said.

"I see."

"I'm really not looking forward to testifying though," Charlie admitted.

"Well, we'll just cross that bridge when we come to it," Joey said gently.

Charlie nodded and focussed on her food.

"So, Joey, Aden says he's started working with you at the Surf Club," Morag said brightly.

"Yeah, we're getting along pretty well," Joey enthused. "He's hilarious."

"He says the same about you!" Morag chuckled.

"I'm not surprised," Ruby said. "Joey _is _hilarious."

Joey blushed.

"So, how's school, Ruby?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, it's pretty good, thanks, Dad."

"And this boyfriend of yours?"

"He's lovely!" Ruby told him with a dreamy expression on her face.

"Here we go," Charlie said, rolling her eyes.

"Like you're one to talk!" Ruby snapped.

"Hey!"

"Joey, I love you _so _much!" Ruby mimicked.

Charlie slapped her playfully on the arm and pouted.

"Actually," Ruby ventured. "I was wondering…"

"Yes?" Ross asked suspiciously.

"Next time we have a family meal, could bring Xavier? I'd like to introduce him to you guys all properly. You know, like we've all welcome Joey into the family?"

She looked round at everyone expectantly.

"I think that's a lovely idea," Charlie said.

Joey nodded.

"Yes," Morag said pleasantly. "So do I."

Ross wasn't quite so keen on a boy stealing his youngest daughter away but agreed well enough.

***

Friday night arrived and with it came a weekend where Charlie, Angelo, Watson, Davina and Jack were all happily off duty. To celebrate their freedom, they went to the surf Club with Joey, Martha, Rachel and Tony. The drinks began to flow and everyone began to relax, although Watson wasn't entirely sure how to be around Davina. They had spent one more night together since she had been told that they weren't dating exclusively, just 'seeing each other'. She still hadn't quite figured out where she stood but so long as she got to stand somewhere near her, it was fine. Joey excused herself to go to the ladies. As she stood, she whispered in Charlie's ear to follow in a few minutes. Charlie looked a little startled and watched her lover walk away. She returned her attention to the group and tried to listen to what Martha was saying. She hoped minutes had passed but really it was probably only seconds before she also excused herself and hurried off. Watson rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"Do they think we don't know what they're doing?" Rachel asked incredulously.

"I think Charlie thinks we don't know," Tony replied.

"Joey's not innocent enough not to realise," Angelo agreed.

"They do this a lot, I take it," Davina said.

It was the first time she had been out socially with her new colleagues.

"Every single time," Watson said, daring to put her hand on her knee.

Davina smiled at her.

"Good to learn new things about my superior," she grinned.

"Shall I get a new round of drinks in?" Angelo suggested, getting to his feet.

"I'll help," Davina said brightly.

She followed him to the bar.

***

In the bathroom, Charlie and Joey breathlessly fumbled with each other's clothes, kissing passionately.

"You were supposed to wait a little longer!" Joey pointed out.

"I couldn't!" Charlie said. "Next time you leave second!"

"We'll figure out the logistics of next time, next time," Joey said hurriedly, letting her mouth devour Charlie's.

***

At the bar, Davina and Angelo waited for their drinks. Angelo looked down suddenly when he felt Davina stroking his arm with her fingertips. He looked into her face, puzzled.

"You know, you're really cute," Davina said.

"I know," he said confidently.

She laughed. He joined in. She didn't stop her touch.

"Aren't you really gay?"

"I'm bisexual. Like Charlie."

"I don't really know what Charlie is. I don't think she knows what she is."

Her touch became more intense.

"That's really not the issue here," Angelo realised.

He looked back at Watson who was talking to Jack and Martha.

"Aren't you dating Watson?"

"We're not exclusive," Davina said. "You and I could always be non-exclusive too."

Their round of drinks settled in front of them. Angelo paid and between them they carried the drinks over to the table. Charlie and Joey returned together and sat down.

"Have fun, did we?" Martha giggled.

Charlie blushed crimson.

"If you can't cope with being teased, don't do it," Angelo told her.

"But it's so much fun!" Joey protested.

Charlie blushed even more and glared at her girlfriend.

"Seriously, what town did I end up in?" Davina asked.

"You will never be bored," Jack promised her.

***

As the evening drew on, Watson began to feel unwell. As Jack, Martha, Tony and Rachel were heading home anyway, Jack (the designated driver) offered to drive her home. Angelo, Davina, Charlie and Joey hung on for a little longer and both Charlie and Joey noticed that Davina and Angelo were flirting. They remained quiet but were disappointed. Watson had already explained that Davina had cooled things and said she didn't want anything serious to happen between them. She had seemed devastated. It was one thing for them to keep things casual but for Davina to start up something new with another colleague right under Watson's nose, was something quite different.

"Joey Collins?" said a female voice.

"Wow!" Angelo said before he could stop himself.

A perfectly toned, black haired girl had tapped Joey on the shoulder. The girl laughed and returned her attention to Joey. Joey turned, recognised the girl and stood up.

"Star!" she exclaimed, launching herself in her arms.

Charlie watched them hug, trying to figure out if she should be jealous or not. She was bordering on 'yes'. The women drew away from each other.

"Charlie, this is an old friend of mine, Star. Star, this is my girlfriend, Charlie."

The women shook hands. Angelo cleared his throat.

"Oh, these are my friends, Angelo and Davina."

Davina shook Star's hand. Angelo kissed it.

"Am I witnessing Joey Collins actually settling down?" Star asked, nodding towards Charlie.

"Guilty as charged," Joey grinned. "What on earth are you doing in this neck of the woods?"

"I work a club a few town away. You should come and check it out sometime. Bring your friends," Star said.

She pulled out a card and handed it to Joey who looked at it and shoved it in her pocket.

"We'll come see you," she said.

"Great. We'll I'm heading out anyway. Catch you later."

They hugged goodbye. Charlie decided not to be jealous.

"She was hot!" Angelo said. "When can we go to her club?"

"I don't know," Joey shrugged. "Sometime next week? There's something I should say though…"

Charlie yawned, suddenly, surprising herself.

"Sorry!" she giggled.

Joey reached out and hugged her.

"Do I need to take you to bed?" she asked.

"Yes please," Charlie said, suddenly feeling more awake.

They said their goodbyes and headed home. Alone in the bar, Davina turned to Angelo who felt suddenly awkward.

"So do you want to chase Joey's friend out of here or do you want to take me back to your place?" she asked.

Angelo hesitated.

"What about Watson?" he asked.

"She knows the score," she insisted.

He continued fretting. She leant over and kissed him, answering her own question.

***

At home, Charlie was disappointed to discover exactly how tired she was but still, it was nice to snuggle down beneath the blankets with Joey and settle down to sleep. It reminded her that beneath the lust and sex, beyond sneaking away from their friends in the middle of drinks at the Surf Club to have a quickie in the toilets, their hearts were connected, their souls united; their love was unbreakable.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty-Five**

Charlie was standing at the reception desk when Angelo entered work looking sheepish. He didn't even need to say anything to reveal that he'd spent the night with Davina. She sighed. Watson was going to be crushed when she found out.

"Don't say a word," Angelo begged, leaning on the other side of the desk.

Charlie obeyed but gave him her sternest frown and continued with what she was doing.

***

Joey was on a dayshift with Aden. She enjoyed working with him more than any of her other colleagues. They had a laugh together.

"Hey, do you want to get a drink after work?" she asked.

"Yeah, that'd be great," he agreed.

She smiled to herself.

***

Charlie felt sorry for Watson who, obviously feeling better after being unwell the night before, was singing to herself, completely oblivious to what was going on around her. Davina looked like the cat who'd got the cream, having now slept with two of her colleagues. Angelo was awkward, clumsy and guilty. Finally tired of it, Charlie swapped the rotas round and sent him out on patrol with Jack just to get him out of the station. Watson busied herself with paperwork. Charlie looked up when she heard a gentle tapping on her door. Davina stood there, leaning against the doorpost.

"Can I talk to you in private please?"

"Sure," Charlie said.

Davina came into the room, closing the door behind her and moving to lean against Charlie's desk, extremely close to her.

"I know you know what happened with Angelo," she ventured. "I hope you don't think badly of me."

"Well, it's not that," Charlie said. "It's not my place to judge what you do in your personal life; it's just that Watson's such a great person…"

"I know," Davina said. "But she knows the score."

"She knows about Angelo?" Charlie asked hopefully.

Davina shook her head.

"But she knows it could happen. With anyone."

Charlie sighed. That wasn't enough.

"Davina, she'll be really hurt…"

Davina leant down, purposely giving Charlie a view of her cleavage. Charlie remained focussed on her face.

"I really don't want you to think badly of me, Charlie. I like you. I think you're amazing. I want us to be friends."

She put her hand on Charlie's. Charlie looked at their hands, then at Davina's chest, then back to Davina's face. _I'm not sure what's happening here._

"Can we be friends?" she asked.

"Of course," she said. "Just, please be nice to Watson. She means a lot to me."

"I will," Davina said, straightening up. "Catch you later."

***

The Surf Club was nearly empty and Joey was getting restless. She wished Charlie wasn't at work. Then she could call her and get her to come and visit. There was a store cupboard she was sure they could get up to some mischief in.

"You have a wicked smile on your face," Aden said.

Joey blushed.

"No, I don't!" she lied.

"Now you look like you've been caught out."

She poked her tongue out at him and swatted him with a dishrag.

"Hey!" he protested.

"You really sound like a girl when you say that," she accused playfully.

He grabbed his own dishrag and before they knew it they were in all out war.

"Nice to see my staff are so mature!" said a disapproving voice.

Joey and Aden stopped suddenly. Alf had appeared from nowhere.

"Sorry, Alf," Joey apologised, hanging her head.

"Yeah, sorry, Alf," Aden added.

***

Watson sat at her desk, constantly casting glances over at Davina, who smiled whenever she caught her. She hoped that one day, they could be exclusive. There was something so incredible about Davina, something so captivating that swept her away. She gazed over at her again. Davina looked up and smiled. Watson blushed and smiled back. She looked at the clock and realised her shifted had been over for ten minutes. She began to pack up. Once she was ready, she headed over.

"Shift's over," she said.

"Do we all change over now?" Davina asked.

"I think Charlie finishes a little later than us today," Watson said vaguely.

She really just wanted to go home.

"I'm going to do some overtime tonight," Davina said. "I want to get this report finished."

"Oh," Watson said, disappointed.

"I'll come over to yours tonight though," Davina suggested brightly.

Watson perked up. She kissed Davina's cheek and headed out. The moment she was gone, Davina headed towards Charlie's office again.

***

Joey and Aden had finished work and were enjoying being on the other side of the bar together. Sipping their beers, Aden began to ask Joey about her relationship with Charlie. He still felt surprised that straight as they come in all senses of the word, Charlie Buckton was gay.

"Well, we met in a bar in the City," Joey explained. "I was working there and she was out with some mates. She stayed after hours, helping me clean up and we… got to know each other better."

"Right there in the club?" Aden asked, his eyes wide.

"And then back at my place."

"Nice! Then what happened?"

"Then we didn't see each other again for over a year. We ran into each other at a hotel I was working at and we spent the weekend together. And then we met again when I moved here."

"And how did you turn her again here?"

"Well, it involved a paintbrush and my living room," Joey said seriously. "I was decorating. She helped. We got carried away."

***

"Come in," Charlie said, not looking up from her laptop when she heard yet another person knocking on her door.

"Hi again," Davina said.

She came and perched in the same position she had before. Charlie stopped working, wondering what her colleague wanted.

"Isn't your shift over?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Yeah, I'm doing overtime," Davina said, never breaking eye contact.

"Okay."

Charlie moved to continue working but Davina caught hold of her hands, placing one of them on her thigh. Charlie removed it immediately.

"Um…" she said.

"Don't tell me you're not interested," Davina said.

"I'm really not," Charlie said.

"Why not?" Davina said.

Charlie's rejection appeared to be more of a challenge than anything else. Her lips curled into a smile and her hands fluttered to the top of her shirt.

"I don't know if you have memory problems but I have a beautiful girlfriend at home," Charlie said. "Her name's Joey. She works at the Surf Club. She introduced you to Watson."

"So?"

Davina quickly undid the buttons of her shirt, opening it to reveal a perfectly toned body and black bra. Charlie's jaw dropped and she didn't know where to look.

"Davina, I think this is bordering on inappropriate," Charlie said, becoming flustered.

She became more flustered when she realised that there was a front clasp to the woman's bra. Davina made quick work of it, letting her breasts fall free.

"Are you sure you're not interested?" she whispered.

***

"So, you guys are really in love," Aden realised.

Joey nodded and smiled to herself.

"I couldn't live without her," she admitted. "I never thought I'd ever feel that way about anyone but I do. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

She finished the rest of her beer and glanced at her watch.

"Speaking of, I want to get home and showered and then start cooking dinner so it's on the table for when she gets home."

"Under the thumb!" Aden teased.

"I don't think so!" she called back.

***

Charlie leaned back rigidly in her chair as Davina and her breasts came towards her. Her heart was pounding and she was certain she hadn't blinked in at least five minutes. Surely this wasn't really happening? She didn't want to look at Davina's boobs but they were right there, demanding attention. And she wasn't really looking at them in any kind of appreciative way. Mostly she was just terrified. As they came closer, Charlie slid out of her chair, ensuring they never made contact.

"I… I um… I really, really have to go," she muttered.

She fled, just about managing to grab her keys. Davina stared after her, shocked.

"She actually left," she said to herself.

Nobody ever turned her down.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-Six**

Charlie parked outside the house and took a breath. Davina's nipples were still dancing in her mind. She shook her head. Her body followed in a shudder. Even though she hadn't done anything, she felt terribly guilty, as if she had and it was a feeling that had followed her the entire journey home. She knew Joey would be waiting for her inside and she wasn't sure what to do. Should she tell Joey what had happened or should she ignore it and pretend nothing had occurred at all? Taking another breath, she got out of the car, locking it behind her and headed towards the house. Joey was in the kitchen when she got in. Charlie pounced on her the moment she saw her. She kissed her mouth, jaw, neck and throat, all the way down as far as her shirt would allow. Her fingers made light of the buttons.

"Mmm," Joey moaned, delighted with the attention, wrapping her arms around Charlie.

"I love you," Charlie murmured.

"But um…" Joey managed.

Her shirt was undone all the way.

"Charlie…" Joey began to protest.

Charlie slipped both bra straps off Joey's shoulders, making it easier to gain access to her breasts.

"Mmm," Joey said, snuggling closer and kissing Charlie's neck.

Charlie pulled back and gazed lovingly at the flesh she had successfully exposed. Joey was the only woman she needed to see for the rest of her life. In the break from kisses and touches, Joey regained her senses and realised that they were in the middle of the kitchen. She therefore remembered exactly why they shouldn't be.

"Um, Charlie," she began.

Charlie resumed her gentle massage with her fingers, paying tender attention to her favourite parts of Joey's chest. Joey groaned and leaned back against the fridge for support. Charlie let one hand move down to battle with Joey's jeans.

"Charlie, we really have to…" Joey continued to try and protest.

Charlie really wasn't making it easy. Charlie's mouth replaced the area on her breast that her fingers had just vacated. There was no hope of Joey getting her words out.

"Charlie!"

Charlie stopped suddenly. Joey covered up. Ruby glared at them accusingly from the doorway.

"Yeah, I was trying to say that Ruby's in there with her friends," Joey mumbled.

"You didn't say it very persistently," Charlie told her.

"You distracted me!" Joey protested.

"I don't care whose fault it is!" Ruby snapped. "You're practically having sex in the kitchen! And my friends are out there, two of whom are really critical of you two!"  
"They are?" Charlie asked.

"Yes!" Ruby said, thinking of Geoff and Annie.

"Now, Joey, would you put your breasts away and then both of you get a room?" Ruby pleaded.

She threw them a disgusted look and headed back into the living room. Charlie and Joey exchanged glances, torn between feeling guilty and amused. Joey tidied herself up.

"I cooked by the way," she said.

"Oh, thank you," Charlie said.

Joey turned the oven off.

"Shall we eat now?" Charlie asked.

"Nah, it'll keep," Joey grinned.

She headed towards the bedroom. Charlie followed eagerly.

***

As soon as they were in the bedroom, safely behind closed doors, Charlie returned Joey to the dishevelled state she had been in before Ruby had interrupted them. She laid her on the bed, kissing and caressing her. There was definitely nobody more beautiful on the whole planet than Joey Collins. She loved her with all her heart. Paying gentle attention to one breast, she enjoyed listening to Joey moaning as she writhed beneath her. She turned her attention to the other and once again began to work the button of her jeans.

"What's made you so… well… horny?" Joey asked. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I was just reminded of how much I love you," Charlie replied.

Joey smiled, wondering exactly what had reminded her and if it was good or bad but in that exact moment in time, she didn't much care one way or the other. She guided Charlie back up to meet her mouth, kissing her passionately and searched her eyes.

"I love you too," she said sincerely.

They kissed again.

"Now, as much as I get a kick out of your uniform, you have far too many clothes on," Joey decided, grappling with Charlie's buttons.

***

A while later, Charlie and Joey fell back against the bed, breathless.

"That was amazing!" Joey managed.

She turned to Charlie, grinning and kissed her passionately.

"Really, really amazing."

Charlie felt quite proud of herself. She cuddled Joey close, planting delicate kisses across every bit of skin she could find. She ran her fingers over Joey's body, paying particular attention to her breasts, which was still tingling from before, down her tummy and resting between her legs. She sighed, wondering if she should confess what had sent her rushing home. She didn't want to be dishonest but she also didn't want to ruin the moment. It seemed too late to bring it up now anyway. She kissed Joey's cheek, clutching her close and whispering love repeatedly.

***

_Thank you all once again for your lovely reviews and getting involved with the story. Now, I know Charlie should have told the truth here, but in her defence, Davina scared the shit out of her so let's try and be forgiving. And her loving of Joey was genuine, I swear it!_


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

"So, when can we go and see your friend?" Angelo asked when he spotted Joey behind the bar at the Surf Club.

She looked puzzled for several moments.

"Dark hair, big boobs, hot, came in here the other night and gave you her card?" he reminded.

"Star?" she remembered. "Oh, I don't know. You really want to meet her again? Hang on."

She hurried away to serve a group of six who had just entered. Charlie took the moment to nudge her colleague.

"Don't you think you've got your hands full already?" she asked.

Angelo scowled at her.

"It hasn't happened again," he promised.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe a couple of times."

"Do you even remember who Watson is?" she asked.

She looked over at Joey who was happily chatting away with the customers as she served their drinks. She felt guilty. Whether she'd done anything or not, she should have told her and she knew it. Maybe she wasn't in any position to hassle Angelo.

"I feel bad enough as it is, alright?" Angelo snapped.

Joey came back over to them.

"I can call her if you like," she said, continuing the conversation. "It'd probably be better to meet away from her work. More sociable."

"Doesn't she work in a club?" Charlie asked.

"Well yeah, but you don't really get to chat, do you?"

Charlie gestured to exactly what they were doing now.

"Fair point," Joey conceded. "It's just that..."

She shrugged. Charlie could take surprises.

"I'll arrange it."

***

The following evening, Joey led Charlie, Angelo and Aden towards a brightly lit entrance to a small venue called _Hot Talent_.

"This isn't a talent show, is it?" Charlie asked, gripping Joey's hand tightly.

"In a way, I guess it is," Joey grinned.

"And you didn't think to mention this?"

"I thought it'd be funny."

The bouncer looked them up and down and the four of them paid their entrance fee. Angelo looked around the club with wide eyes. It wasn't very full but the patrons that were there were seated round a large stage area. There was a bar at the back with the best dressed, or largely undressed bar staff he had ever seen.

"Shall I order the drinks?" he suggested.

"Belle's going to kill me," Aden muttered.

Joey stopped a waitress, who handed them free shots each, and she asked for Star.

"Oh, she'll be out back. Who's asking?"

"I'm Joey. She's expecting us."

"I can go get her for you," the waitress said.

Joey thanked her and led Charlie and Aden to a table and chairs towards the front of the stage. Charlie had not let go of her hand yet.

"How can you be so at ease here?" she asked.

"Well, I used to wor..."

Joey stopped and drank her shot.

"Um, you really need to finish that sentence," Charlie said.

"Yeah, you really do," Aden grinned, leaning forward.

Joey looked from one to the other.

"I wonder where Angelo's got to!"

"Joey..." Charlie said.

"I may have done a few shifts in a place similar to this," Joey admitted.

Angelo arrived back and hurriedly sat down.

"Back track!" he demanded, having caught the end of the sentence.

Joey stared at all of them, feeling decidedly uncomfortable. She opened her mouth a couple of times but no sound came out. Finally Charlie piped up.

"You were a stripper?" she squeaked.

"No!" Joey protested. "I did the waitressy jobby thingy."

"And um, what were you wearing during this time?" Angelo asked.

Joey kicked him mostly playfully.

"Yes, what _were _you wearing?" Charlie wanted to know.

Joey wondered how she had got into this discussion. It was a question she had asked herself during most situations in her life.

"Something similar to what she's wearing," she said, pointing to the skimpily bikini clad woman serving shots.

"Yowzer!" Aden said.

"You're not helping," Joey snapped at him.

She glanced at Charlie who seemed to be trying to suppress a smile and slowly coming round to the idea. Charlie leant across and held her arm.

"So, during your time in a place similar to this, did you um, learn anything?" she whispered so the boys couldn't hear, although Angelo was leaning close enough that he was obviously trying very hard to eavesdrop.

Joey grinned wickedly.

"It wasn't a job requirement but I might have been taught a few tricks along the way. Why?" she asked.

Charlie began to stroke Joey's arm.

"Well, I was just wondering why I haven't been party to these tricks before now."

"Sweetheart, give me a chance! I can't do _everything _all at once!" Joey giggled.

They kissed.

"Some things are better saved for later," Joey added.

"Like soon?" Charlie asked.

"Maybe very soon," Joey confirmed.

They kissed again.

***

As the night continued, the drinks had flowed a little too generously. They had watched the shows, caught up with Star, received a few lap dances including a joint one for the couple, and talked and laughed until they'd exhausted themselves. Now, they were deep in a discussion about fidelity that was making both Angelo and Charlie uncomfortable.

"I could never forgive someone who cheated on me," Joey admitted. "I just think once the trust has gone, it's over. You can try and forgive that person as much as you want but the damage is already done. You'll always be worrying if the person they were with was better than you. You'll constantly worry about where your partner is and what they're doing. And your self-esteem would die. I think that kind of hurt goes too deep."

Charlie shifted.

"What if your partner never cheated but they lied or something?" she dared to ask.

"Well, that's more easily forgivable," Joey said. "Depending on what the lie was. Why, do you have something to confess?"

Charlie swallowed, even though she knew her girlfriend was teasing. She shook her head, thus telling another lie.

"I don't know," Aden said. "I like to think that whatever happens, if you love someone enough, you can get over anything. Having said that, I'm seriously going to be killed for coming here tonight. Coming to a strip club doesn't count as cheating, does it?"

"I don't think so, although you were getting pretty fruity with one of those dancers," Charlie teased.

"You've been pretty quiet for a change, Angelo," Joey noticed.

"Me? I'm fine," he lied.

All this talk of cheating was making him feel extra guilty about Watson and Davina.

"What's wrong, mate?" Aden asked.

"I slept with Davina!" he suddenly blurted out, instantly cursing the complimentary shots the waitress had been providing all evening.

They were like a truth potion.

"What?" Joey said.

Her heart instantly went out to Watson - poor Watson who never got a break.

"I know I've done the wrong thing but she's so hot," Angelo said.

"That's not an excuse," Joey snapped.

"But..."

"Hot or not, you still walk away. You don't cheat or come between two people who are together. That's not fair. I've done it unintentionally and I feel awful about it."

"Cheated or come between a couple?" Aden asked.

"The latter."

Charlie was surprised. Joey had told her about that before but she hadn't seemed to feel that guilty.

"I mean, I'm not cursing myself every day," Joey admitted. "I'd feel a lot worse if the girlfriend hadn't beaten the crap out of me. I think she got her justice."

Charlie shook her head and reached for Joey's hand. Angelo looked stricken. Maybe he was picturing Watson beating him up.

"Sorry, Angelo," Joey said more kindly. "I know it's not my place to judge but... it's Watson! She's... she's Watson! She's all cute and nice and wouldn't hurt even a big, bad, ugly fly."

Charlie gazed at her girlfriend affectionately. She really was the sweetest person alive. Her own guilt was further compounded but she focussed on the good feelings inside her instead.

"I know," Angelo sighed. "I really messed up. In my defence, they're not exclusive."

"Reality and Watson's head are two different places," Charlie told him.

"Now I feel really guilty that I ever introduced them," Joey complained.

She turned to Charlie.

"Next time I do a set up, make sure I do it right," she said.

"You realise most people would say 'remind me not to set people up again', don't you?" Charlie chuckled.

"I'm not most people!" Joey beamed.

"No, you really, really aren't," Charlie replied, leaning forward for a kiss.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

Davina entered the Surf Club and ordered a glass of wine. Once Joey had served her, she lingered at the bar. Joey was torn between politeness and not really liking her since she'd found out about her sleeping with Angelo behind Watson's back.

"So, how's everything going?" Davina purred.

"Pretty good, thanks," Joey said.

She began wiping the bar down, collecting glasses people had left in front of her.

"How are you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Davina said. "Finding my feet at work."

"So I hear," Joey commented before she could stop herself.

Davina raised her eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Joey sighed and apologised.

"I'm sorry. I just feel a little protective of Watson, that's all. If you didn't feel that way about her then why did you stat dating her?"

She stopped cleaning and faced Davina directly.

"I like her," she replied. "We have an understanding. Come on, you of all people must get that."

Joey looked confused.

"What do you mean, 'me of all people'?" she asked.

"Well, you and Charlie have an understanding too, right?"

"An understanding?" Joey repeated slowly.

"Yeah, that's what she said when we…"

Davina trailed off. Joey's expression suggested that the conversation was going exactly as she wanted it to.

"When you what?"

"Well, when we… I'm sorry, I thought you knew."

Joey felt like she was falling, the more Davina said or neglected to say. She fought tears and waves of anger simultaneously. She tried to convince herself that there was no way that Charlie would cheat on her but Davina seemed so genuine.

"She said the two of you were in an open relationship," Davina said awkwardly. "Joey, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to… Hey, if you want revenge, I'm free tonight."

Joey looked disgusted. She hurried towards Alf.

"Alf, something's come up. Please can I go home? I'll work extra tomorrow. Please?"

Alf was about to say no when he saw the panic in his employee's eyes. He nodded and told her to go. Joey hurried out of the door.

***

At home, Charlie was sitting a little glumly in the kitchen when Ruby approached her.

"Hey, sis, are you okay? You've been really distracted," she said, sitting down beside her.

Charlie let her head rest in her hands.

"I've made a mistake," she said.

"What kind of mistake?"

"With Joey. And Davina."

"Charlie, you haven't…?"

She couldn't bring herself to say the word 'cheated'. Charlie looked up sharply.

"No!" she said quickly.

"Okay, I was just asking," Ruby said, holding her hands up in mock defence.

"So, what happened?"

"Ironically, I didn't actually do anything wrong," Charlie explained. "Except that I didn't tell the truth about what happened."

"Explain."

"Davina came on to me," Charlie said. "Like in a really serious way. She took her shirt off and stuff. I panicked and ran and then I didn't tell Joey about it."

"Charlie!" Ruby said, exasperated. "Why not?"

"I don't know," Charlie said. "It seems so dumb now. I just didn't know what to say. I felt guilty, I guess, even though I didn't do anything. I came home and made love to Joey."

"In the kitchen by any chance?" Ruby remembered, pulling a face.

Charlie coloured.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"I've come to expect it."

Charlie sighed.

"Charlie, this doesn't have to be a big deal," Ruby said. "You just need to tell her. The only thing you did wrong was try and keep it a secret. I mean, you didn't do anything bad, right?"

"Right!" Charlie agreed. "I just wanted to get out of there. I'm not interested in anyone but Joey. She's my world."

"Well, then you need to explain that to her and make sure there aren't any secrets between you. It doesn't have to be a problem. You're blowing it out of proportion."

They both looked up when Joey appeared in the doorway. Joey stood there.

"What are you doing home so early?" Charlie asked, surprised.

"Disappointed?" Joey asked coldly.

"What? No! It's a lovely surprise," Charlie said, smiling.

Ruby watched the interaction with interest. Joey entered the kitchen.

"I just had an interesting conversation with Davina," Joey said.

"That might be my cue to go," the youngest Buckton said, getting to her feet.

"Joey…" Charlie started.

"Maybe you should stay," Joey suggested to Ruby. "I'm presuming you're in on it and I don't know what lies I'm going to get out of Charlie."

She was trying to stay strong and angry but all she wanted to do was cry, tell Charlie she was willing to forget about it, make her promise that she'd never do it again and that she'd love her forever. Charlie was taken aback and so was Ruby. Neither of them had ever seen this side to her before.

"So, what happened?" Joey asked Charlie. "What's this understanding we apparently have?"

"Understanding?" Charlie asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I just want to know what happened."

"She came on to me," Charlie admitted.

"When?"

"Last week."

"When?"

"Wednesday."

"You had sex with her and then came home and had sex with me?" Joey asked, heartbroken.

"No!" Charlie said. "I didn't sleep with her!"

"She says you did!"

Ruby felt awkward, unsure of whether to leave of stay.

"She's lying!" Charlie said, standing up. "She came on to me. She took her shirt off and she threw herself at me and I ran. I came home to you. I didn't want to know. I rejected her. Joey, I'd never be interested in anyone but you."

Joey felt her anger begin to dissolve. Charlie seemed too earnest to be telling her anything but the truth. Ruby slipped away.

"I didn't do anything," Charlie said.

Joey sat down. Charlie followed suit.

"Why would she say you did?" Joey asked.

"I don't know," Charlie said. "She's obviously a manipulative cow. Maybe she's sore from being rejected."

Joey looked up at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Charlie sighed and looked at the table.

"Because I'm a moron," she said. "I should have. I should have said it right away but I couldn't find the words. I was in such a panic over it. I didn't know what to do."

"You just say what happened, Charlie. You lied to me. That was the day we nearly had sex in the kitchen in front of Ruby's school friends," Joey remembered. "You should have told me what happened, not channelled your feelings into sex."

"I know. I'm sorry," Charlie said, reaching out to hold Joey's hand.

Joey pulled away. She stood up.

"I don't care that she got her tits out," she said. "I don't care if you saw them or looked at them or whatever the hell happened. I don't even care that you were so panicked that you came home and gave me some of the best sex we've ever had. What I care about is that you've gone days without telling me anything. We've discussed her and Angelo, we've spent every day together, Charlie, and you never said a word to me. You've lied to my face. I don't understand how you can do that."

"Joey…" Charlie pleaded.

Joey turned and left the house.

***

Joey sat on the beach in the dark listening to the waves. She felt better that Charlie hadn't cheated on her but she was angry that she had lied and left her vulnerable to being manipulated by Davina. She dug her hands into the sand, letting it run through her fingers. She wondered what the scene had actually been like and if Charlie had been tempted. She wasn't blind. Davina was stunning. Maybe Charlie had wanted her but hadn't wanted to let Joey down. Maybe Joey was just holding her back. Dropping the sand, she growled in frustration and threw herself back, closing her eyes, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" said a voice.

She opened her eyes. A man with curly hair was standing over her.

"I'm fine," she said, not even managing to convince herself.

The man came to sit beside her. She sat up again.

"Well, I'm convinced," he joked.

"I just had a bad evening," Joey said.

"Maybe I can cheer you up," he said.

He extended his hand.

"I'm Hugo," he said.

"Joey," she replied, shaking hands with him.

"So, what do you do when you're not crying on the beach, Joey?"

"I'm not crying!" she said a little too quickly.

He chuckled.

"Frowning?" he suggested.

She nodded.

"I'm a barmaid. You?"

"I've only just arrived in the Bay but professionally I'm a diving instructor so I'm hoping so do something around that here eventually."

"Oh, you're a water person like me," she enthused. "I have a small obsession with boats."

"Oh, well maybe I can take you out sometime," he said.

Joey froze, suddenly realising that he might be flirting with her.

"I'd have to clear it with my girlfriend first," she said.

He looked surprised and stared at her.

"You're gay?" he asked.

"As the day is long," Joey replied.

"I chose to hit on the wrong girl then."

"Pretty much but there are some amazing straight women here too," Joey said.

"So, quick question, if you have a girlfriend, why are you sad and alone tonight?"

"Argument."

"Are you completely gay or could I maybe comfort you a little?" Hugo asked hopefully.

"I'm complete," Joey said certainly, getting her feet and walking away.

***

Charlie rested her head on Ruby's lap feeling utterly miserable. Ruby ran her hands through Charlie's hair and glanced frequently at the clock, hoping that Joey would quickly return home so that she and Charlie could make up. She knew that Charlie was crying and she also knew she shouldn't make comment. She just let her wallow in grief and comforted her in silence. They both raised their heads when they heard someone come through the kitchen door. Soon Joey appeared. Charlie sat up. Joey felt compassion flood her as she took in Charlie's tear stained face, messy hair and rumpled clothes.

"I'll let you talk in private," Ruby said, escaping and heading to her bedroom.

Joey came to sit on the couch where Charlie was waiting for her. Charlie never took her eyes away from the woman she hoped was still her girlfriend.

"Where did you go?" Charlie asked.

"The beach," Joey replied. "I met this creepy guy. He hit on me. See, I told you. It's as simple as that."

Charlie looked down, ashamed. She apologised.

"Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have cared, Charlie. I probably would have laughed."

"I don't know why," Charlie said. "I think she just freaked me out so much that it just got bigger than it should have got."

"So, what happened?" Joey asked. "In detail."

"She'd been flirting a little," Charlie explained. "Then she stayed behind to do overtime. She came into my office and started talking. Then she undid her shirt and her bra."

Joey clenched her jaw. Maybe she wouldn't have laughed after all.

"She leant forward, close to my face. I guess she wanted me to touch her."

"Did you want to touch her?"

"No!"

"Charlie, I'm not an idiot and I'm not blind. I know she's hot."

"I didn't, Joey. That's the thing. I hate myself for being such an idiot because for once in my life I didn't do anything wrong except not telling you about what happened. I wasn't tempted. When she came at me, I squirmed out of the way and I ran to my car and drove home. I didn't want to be anywhere near her. I don't want to be anywhere near anybody. Just the thought of being with anyone but you makes me kind of sad."

Joey's mouth twitched into a smile.

"I know I messed up. I should have come home and told you what happened. I don't understand why I didn't. You're right. We would have just laughed about it and _then_ had some of the best sex we've ever had. I guess I was just too freaked out. I'm so sorry, Joey. Please forgive me."

Joey reached out and held Charlie's hands.

"I was just upset because we shouldn't be keeping things from each other, you know?" she explained. "You left me really vulnerable because she knew stuff about you that I didn't know and she was able to use it against us."

"I know."

"But it's over now."

"What?" Charlie said, alarmed.

"The argument is over," Joey said gently.

"Oh!" Charlie said, breathing a sigh of pure relief.

Joey smiled and kissed her.

"Let's go and have some more of the best we've ever had," Joey suggested.

They kissed again. Joey stood up and led Charlie to the bedroom.

"Who was this guy, by the way?" Charlie asked. "Do I need to get butch?"


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

Later that night, Charlie and Joey lay in each other's arms in the dark.

"So, um, Joey?" Charlie began tentatively.

Joey paused in the patterns she was tracing along Charlie's tummy.

"Yes?" she replied.

She began kissing Charlie's collarbone. Charlie smiled, enjoying the intimacy between them. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of being so close to her, of touching her, being touched by her, of the love that flowed between them.

"If I'm a really good girl..." Charlie ventured.

Joey looked up curiously.

"Would you um… maybe give me a reward?"

"What kind of reward were you thinking about?" Joey asked, her mouth turning up at the corners.

She was amused by Charlie's nervousness. She kissed her mouth and resumed stroking her skin. Their kiss developed slowly and sensuously. Charlie wound her arms around Joey's body, tangling her fingers in Joey's hair. Drawing apart reluctantly, Joey kept her face only a couple of inches away from her partner's.

"So, what kind of reward?" she asked, although she had a feeling she knew.

"Well, I'm still curious about what you learnt at that strip club," Charlie admitted.

Joey shifted her body so that she was lying on top of Charlie. She caught her hands and laid them above her head, kissing her one more time. She smiled, teasingly.

"While it wasn't a job requirement, I learned a little strip tease routine," Joey said, keeping her voice low.

Charlie let her mind wander, imagining exactly what Joey might be capable of. Joey planted a kiss on Charlie's jaw.

"And I got taught how to pole dance."

She kissed Charlie's throat, letting her tongue taste Charlie's skin.

"And the last thing I leant to do was lap dance," Joey told her.

Charlie's eyes widened. Joey came back up to meet Charlie's lips but refused to let go of her hands.

"So, do you think you might show me one day?" Charlie asked.

"Maybe," Joey teased. "If you're good."

"How good do I have to be?"

"Hmm…" Joey said thoughtfully. "I'm not sure. You just continue being good and I'll let you know."

Charlie laughed and kissed her. Joey gave in and released her arms, allowed Charlie to hold her tightly.

"Just out of curiosity though, which thing would you like first?" Joey asked.

"All three at once!" Charlie said.

"Don't get greedy now!" Joey laughed.

"Maybe the pole dance first, then the strip tease and then finally the lap dance," Charlie told her more seriously.

She nodded to confirm her decision.

"Noted," Joey said. "Now would a regular roll in the hay work for you now?"

"It always works for me."

***

The following morning, Joey woke to breakfast in bed. Charlie was obviously eager to please and be a 'good girl' as discussed the previous night. She chuckled as she tucked into her toast and sipped her juice while Charlie curled up into bed beside her.

"Where am I on the goodness scale?" Charlie asked.

Joey laughed. Charlie was cute when she got hooked on an idea. She reached over to stroke her girlfriend's beautiful face. She kissed her nose and then continued on with her toast.

"You're working towards that pole dance," Joey confirmed.

Charlie looked extremely pleased with herself.

***

Joey reluctantly headed to work. She had promised to work extra that day to make up for leaving early to sort things out with Charlie the day before. Alf was behind the bar when she arrived. He greeted her pleasantly when she approached.

"Is everything okay now?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Yes, thanks," she said. "Everything's fixed."

"Glad to hear it," he told her. "I was a little worried, I must admit."

"I was just having some problems at home," Joey explained. "But it's all okay now. Thanks for being so understanding, Alf. You're the best boss in the world!"

She studied the older man's face as he blushed and stuttered. He told her that he needed to get to the bait shop but that Aden would be joining her in a couple of hours. She waved goodbye and got stuck into work.

***

Charlie arrived at the Diner. She had the day off work and had arranged to meet her father for lunch. Looking up and spotting him when he arrived, she waved him over. Ross approached and sat down.

"Hi, Dad," Charlie greeted. "How's it going?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Ross said. "I'm very much enjoying my retirement. How's work?"

"Interesting," Charlie said. "You know what it's like. Even in this town it keeps you busy. How's Morag?"

"Oh yeah, she's fine. She's busy fixing everybody's problems as ever."

Silence fell between them. In a perfect world, this would be the moment that Ross would ask about Joey. But this wasn't a perfect world. They were making headway, sure, but it was still hard for her father to accept her partner. She studied his face and listened to him as he took a breath.

"How's… how is she?" he asked.

"Joey's fine, thank you Dad," Charlie replied. "She's been working hard and looking after me. I've still been feeling a little fragile after going back to work and arresting Skip and everything and she's been my rock through all of that."

Ross nodded.

"I'm glad you have someone who loves you, Charlie," he said sincerely. "I know I haven't hidden the fact that it's not the person I would have chosen for you but I also know that both your feelings are genuine."

Charlie smiled. They were definitely making progress.

"Thank you. So, what's new?" she asked.

"Not much. Oh, your Aunt Alice called. She's desperately searching for someone to house sit for her. She and her best friend were planning a holiday this week for seven days and the person who was coming to look after her place has cancelled on her at the last minute so it looks like she can't go," Ross said. "She's devastated."

"Aunt Alice is the one with the farm house?" Charlie remembered.

"Yeah, out in the country."

Charlie had a sudden image of her and Joey in a beautiful farm house, enjoying the peaceful tranquillity of the countryside together.

"Joey and I could step in," she said.

"You could?"

"Well, we'd have to beg for time off work but I think we'd manage. And I for one would love to get away."

She also thought that taking Joey away would earn her several good behaviour points and she really wanted that reward. She could hardly stop thinking about it.

"Well, if you girls try and book time off today and get back to me, I can call Alice tonight and let her know," Ross said.

Charlie was also touched that he wasn't kicking up a fuss and hindering an opportunity for them to have a romantic week away together. She beamed at him.

"I'll call into work on my way into town after we finish lunch," she said.

***

Hugo and Jack walked into the Surf Club.

"Hey, Joey, how's it going?" Jack greeted pleasantly.

Joey smiled at him.

"Hi, Jack. Hi… Hugo."

Hugo smiled back at her and leant on the bar.

"Hello again," he said.

He couldn't help but think that she looked even more beautiful by day than she had by the light of the moon, which was quite a statement.

"You've already met?" Jack asked, surprised.

Hugo had only been in town for a day. He was trying to bond with his younger brother Xavier, who was staying with Jack and Martha so they had welcomed Hugo into their home now too.

"Yeah, we bumped into each other last night," Hugo explained.

He turned back to Joey.

"Did you make up after that argument?" he asked.

"Several times," Joey quipped.

Hugo looked deeply interested and couldn't resist peering down the barmaid's top as she took their drinks orders and poured them both a couple of pints. Setting them on the bar and accepting their money, she made polite conversation but quickly became distracted when Charlie entered the bar.

"Hey, sweetheart," Joey said, greeting her with a kiss.

"Hi," Charlie said, not really noticing Jack and Hugo. "Do you think you can get leave next week?"

"Next week?"

"Yeah, starting on Monday?"

"Maybe. Why?" Joey asked curiously, wondering what Charlie was up to.

"We've got the opportunity to house sit on a beautiful little farm that belongs to my Aunt Alice if we can get the time off and we both want to go," Charlie said. "Do you want to?"

"I'd love to! It sounds wonderful!"

Across from them, Hugo was watching with interest. He couldn't decide which lesbian was hotter.

"Is that the girlfriend?" he asked his cousin.

"Yeah, that's Charlie," Jack replied.

"She is hot!"

"She's my colleague."

"How do you get anything done?"

"She's pretty strict."

"Hot, strict and gay with a sexy lesbian lover," Hugo commented. "I know what I'm going to be dreaming about tonight."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"So, you ask Alf, I'll speak to work and then if we both get the go ahead, I'll tell Dad and we can drive up first thing on Monday. We have to look after a few animals but that's fine. Mostly we just get to spend a wonderful amount of alone time together," Charlie said to Joey, still oblivious to Hugo's stares.

"I'm sure I can sweet talk Alf," Joey said. "This is going to be amazing!"

Charlie leant over and kissed Joey.

"It really is. Now, surely I'm scoring points here?" she asked.

"Oh, you're scoring many, many points," Joey confirmed.

Charlie grinned.

"Well, I've got to go. Things to do! Text when you've got an answer, okay?"

"I will!"

Charlie kissed her one more time and headed out.

***

Joey arrived home in a very good mood. Both she and Charlie had been granted time off at short notice and were going to be driving away from Summer Bay for a week long holiday all of their very own in a few days time and neither of them could wait. The kitchen was steamy and warm when she got in and Charlie was busy. Joey crept up to her, spinning her round and capturing her in her arms. Charlie immediately dropped her wooden spoon and kissed Joey.

"I'm cooking you dinner," she declared.

"I can see that," Joey replied.

"And I'm taking you on holiday."

"I know," Joey confirmed.

"And I bought you a couple of gifts. Well, for us really."

"You really want this lap dance."

Charlie nodded and laughed. She guided Joey to a chair, removed her shoes and poured her a glass of wine before returning to the stove.

"I could get used to this, you know," Joey said, stretching lazily.

***

After dinner, Charlie took Joey by the hand and led her into the bedroom.

"Okay, so this is just in case you decide that at any point you want to do the pole dancing thing for me," Charlie grinned. "I'd hate for you to decide to do it and not have the equipment!"

Joey looked at Charlie and then at the pole that she'd obviously spent the day setting up in the corner of the room. She laughed and wrapped her arms around Charlie's waist.

"You spent today setting up a pole?"

"Not the _whole_ day," Charlie said. "Just a lot of it."

She was secretly nervous that Joey would mind but from the amused expression on her face, she didn't think she did.

"I really hope I'm worth all this effort," Joey said a little worriedly.

"I have no doubt."

"I have one problem though," Joey said. "You can't really pole dance in this."

She gestured to her jeans and vest top.

"I don't have anything that would work with this."

"I took care of it," Charlie said quickly.

"Oh, you did, did you?" Joey grinned.

"Uh huh."

She gestured to a bag on the bed. Reaching into it, she found an extremely skimpy red bra, thong and stockings. She turned back to Charlie with raised eyebrows.

"Have I been good enough?" Charlie asked.

Joey placed a hand on her chest and guided her out of the bedroom.

"Let me get changed," she said.


	50. Chapter 50

_Sincerely apologies for skipping over the pole dancing part. You will have to use your imagination. Although, Charlie's reward comes in three parts so maybe I'll write parts two and/or three... who knows!? Anyway, moving on...!_

**Chapter Fifty**

Monday arrived and Charlie and Joey were thrilled to be going away together. Aunt Alice had lived alone in a farmhouse for most of her adult life. She had always been somewhat a loner and Charlie had never really seen a lot of her. Nobody did. She was Ross's sister and he loved her but he didn't understand her. She kept chickens, grew her own vegetables, had several pet cats and a goat. As far as Joey was aware, she didn't make a lot of money and didn't run the farm for the financial gain. It was a lifestyle choice, something she did because she enjoyed that way of life. It suited her and right now, it suited Charlie and Joey. The drive was long but the women didn't mind. They had packed plenty of CD's and sung along loudly to most of them with the windows wide open and the wind in their hair.

"Do you think she has a big place?" Joey asked.

"I have no idea. I've never visited before," Charlie admitted.

"I wonder if she has a fireplace," Joey said. "We could curl up in front of it together at night, drinking wine."

"Mmm, now that sounds wonderful."

***

Several hours later, Charlie and Joey pulled up into a driveway. Shutting off the engine, they exchanged glances and slowly got out the car.

"So, when your Dad said your Aunt Alice had a farm house, he was being a little creative, huh?" Joey said.

"Well, there's a farm," Charlie said.

"Not so much a house. I mostly see a caravan."

"You see a caravan?" Charlie asked. "I see a tiny little tin thing that's roughly half the size of a caravan."

They looked at each other uncertainly and, grasping each other hands, ventured forward across the large field that was mostly succeeding in making their temporary home look even smaller. Other than the caravan, all they could see was a chicken coop and a large area which housed the goat alongside lots and lots of vegetable patches. They stood outside the caravan.

"Well, there's a fire," Joey said cheerfully, noting the open fire outside.

Charlie didn't look quite so impressed. She tried the door to the caravan but it was locked. Sighing, she felt around on the ground, quickly locating a rock beneath the van and finding a key beneath it. She unlocked the door and crept inside. Joey followed. The room was tiny. At one end there was a tiny double bed already made up. Along one wall was a surface that seemed to be used as a table and along the other wall were cupboards. Charlie turned back to Joey.

"This isn't quite what I was expecting," she said unhappily.

Joey held her hands.

"Come on, it's cosy," she said.

She squeezed past her and lay back on the bed, which was surprisingly comfortable.

"It'll be fun," she added, pulling Charlie on the bed beside her.

Charlie tried to smile, although she hated that the images of lazing around in a beautiful farm house were slowly being destroyed in her mind. This was camping. This was going to be hard work. Joey kissed her lightly and then sat up. She noticed a piece of paper on the table.

"Looks like she left us a note."

She grabbed it and read it aloud. It was full of gratitude to Charlie and her 'friend' for coming to look after the place, complete with instructions about what to do with the animals and the vegetables while they were there. Alice explained that the area was completely safe and that she never locked the door unless she wasn't going to be home for an extensive period of time and either slept with the door open or outside under the stars. She instructed them on how to live easily without electricity.

"How are we going to cope with no space?" Charlie asked, sounding heartbroken.

"We have an entire field," Joey reminded her.

Charlie gestured to the tiny caravan. Joey remained cheerful.

"And no electricity," Charlie said.

"We'll cope just fine," Joey said confidently. "We have everything we need."

Charlie pouted, certain that her Dad knew about this all along and was punishing her for being a lesbian. Joey kissed her but Charlie failed to respond. Joey kissed her again, lingering a little longer.

"Charlie…" Joey coaxed.

Their eyes met.

"We have a week of tranquillity ahead of us," Joey purred. "We have natural beauty all around us, nothing and nobody to interfere with our lives…"

She kissed her again. This time Charlie kissed her back.

"We have the option of sleeping under the stars by a campfire," Joey continued.

She set to work on the buttons of Charlie's shirt and planted kisses along Charlie's jaw.

"We have a bed," Joey added.

Charlie smiled and lay back on it. Her shirt came open and Joey trailed kisses down her torso and back up again to her mouth.

"We have each other."

Joey ran her tongue along Charlie's lip, seeking entry to her mouth. It was immediately granted. When she eventually pulled away, she smiled.

"You still have stage two of your reward to receive, which I believe was the striptease," Joey reminded her.

Charlie's eyes lit up and then faded.

"We don't have music," she sighed.

"I brought my laptop," Joey said. "It's not perfect but it'll do."

Charlie's eyes lit up again. Joey lifted her slightly and eased her out of her shirt and unhooked her bra, immediately beginning to tease her breasts.

"Oh and I packed the outfit you bought me for the pole dance," she added without looking up.

Charlie groaned in pleasure and anticipation.

***

The day had passed happily with the women having christened the caravan, unpacked, explored the farm, introduced themselves to the chickens, goat and cats; they tried and failed to light a fire, discovered they had no food, completely ignoring all the vegetables around them, and then decided to drive to the next town to shop for the morning and eat dinner in a restaurant. Arriving back at the caravan, Charlie and Joey balanced themselves on the mattress and stripped off.

"I'm guessing we're going to have to be really tidy in here for health and safety purposes alone," Joey said, folding her clothes and putting them in a cupboard.

She reached for a t-shirt but Charlie stopped her and shook her head.

"If you sleep naked pressed up against another person you retain body heat better," she said.

Joey laughed, certain that was not the reason for her suggestion at all. Still, it wasn't a bad one, she thought, admiring her girlfriend's figure and counting herself the luckiest person in the world to be able to call Charlie her own. She reached over to put Charlie's clothes away too and the women snuggled into their double sleeping bag. Joey reached out to turn off the oil lamp, feeling like they were living in ancient times as she did so. Charlie's hands refused to keep still beneath the sleeping bag. Joey smiled and enjoyed her girlfriend's touch. She lay, unmoving and relished the feel of Charlie exploring her skin, wishing there was more light so that she could see her beautiful face. She shifted so that she was facing Charlie. They kissed for a long time.

"I really do love you so much," Charlie whispered sincerely.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-One**

The sun broke through the window, rousing Charlie and Joey early. Joey was instantly in a good mood. Charlie needed a little coercion. Just as she was coming to, she felt something attached to her foot. She screamed.

"Charlie!" Joey said, trying to calm her down. "It's one of the cats."

Regulating her breathing, Charlie's fright was replaced with embarrassment. The tortoiseshell cat, Lucy scampered away in a huff. Joey giggled and stroked Charlie's face.

"Did the big scary cat scare the tiny little cop?" she teased.

Charlie slapped her arm playfully and began to sulk as Joey climbed out of bed. Charlie failed to keep pouting when she took in Joey's perfect body. She wondered if the sight of her girlfriend would take her breath away for the rest of their lives. Joey stretched and rummaged around for some clothes. She tossed a t-shirt and shorts at Charlie.

"We have chickens to deal with," she said, sounding strict as she put her sandals on.

***

Joey was already on her way to the hen house when Charlie caught up with her. They linked arms until they reached the door, which they unlocked. They hadn't had to deal with letting the animals out or putting them away the day before as Aunt Alice had kept them inside, not knowing what time Charlie and Joey would show up, so it seemed that the chickens were particularly noisy this morning. They charged past them in a stampede, making Charlie jump and Joey laugh.

"Are you going to be brave all trip?" she asked.

Charlie just poked her tongue out and headed to the store cupboard in which they had been told the feed was kept.

***

One hour later, Charlie and Joey were puzzling over how to light a fire. They had fed the chickens and the goat and collected three eggs and were now very hungry themselves.

"She must have a lighter," Joey said, frowning. "She lives on a farm, not in the dark ages."

"I'll go and look," Charlie said, heading back in the caravan.

A few moments later, she reappeared with a box of matches, looking triumphant.

"Hooray!" Joey said jubilantly.

With the fire going, Joey cooked their eggs in Aunt Alice's frying pan while Charlie cut the bread they had bought from the shop the night before on their way to the restaurant. She breathed in the air around them, turning her face away from the smoke. Finally, she smiled. She and Joey could have a lovely time here together. It was peaceful, cut off from anywhere but still close enough to civilisation that they could escape and be waited on if they needed to. And Joey seemed to be taking easily enough to camping. She appeared to really be enjoying herself. It made Charlie happy.

***

Once they had eaten, Charlie moved to lie against Joey on the blanket, resting in her embrace. Joey kissed her once and then looked out across the field at the chickens as they wandered around. They were surrounded by woods but they were basically free and the goat had so much space that she was basically free as well. This was a nice way of living.

"How does Alice shower?" Charlie wondered aloud.

"She said something about a solar power thing," Joey recalled.

Charlie nodded, getting up and deciding to investigate. The sun was so hot that solar power shouldn't be a problem and nor should drying off. Behind the caravan, the found a little archway, decorated with flowers and sure enough there was a tube positioned vaguely in the shape of a shower head. Charlie puzzled over it for a moment. Joey appeared with a small packet of water.

"I think this is it," she said, waving it at her.

***

After some fiddling and a few curse words, Charlie had figured out the shower system that Aunt Alice used in her every day life and it wasn't half bad. The water poured slowly enough that it lasted, although there was no such thing as pressure. She got herself clean, feeling a little like a piece of meat when Joey sat down and watched her with a rather leering grin on her face. Charlie returned the favour when it was Joey turn to get washed. Undressed, they headed back towards the blanket they had laid out in front of the dying fire.

"Would you judge me if I said it was kind of liberating to walk naked round a field?" Joey asked, winking wickedly.

Charlie laughed and lay down on the blanket, pulling Joey on top of her. They kissed, their bodies entwined.

"You know, I really think is this going to be the best holiday ever," Charlie decided.

***

The afternoon passed with Charlie and Joey tending the vegetables and heating a basin of water to wash up their breakfast things. They enjoyed bread and salad fresh from the ground for lunch. That evening, having fed and guided the chickens back into their house and said goodnight to the goat, Charlie and Joey stretched out by the fire.

"You seem at home here," Charlie observed.

Joey smiled.

"I like camping," she said. "We could never afford expensive holidays when I was a kid so we just used to pitch up a tent and go stay for weekends in random fields during the summer. It was pretty fun."

"I bet you raised merry hell," Charlie giggled.

"Maybe a couple of times!" Joey agreed. "Where did your family go on holiday?"

"Never camping," Charlie admitted.

"Posh hotels, hey?" Joey suspected.

"My parents were never really into roughing it. They liked to be waited on."

"Like parents, like daughter!" Joey teased.

"Hey!"

Joey giggled and reached for Charlie's hand. She traced patterns across her palm. It sent pleasant tingles through Charlie's body. Joey bent her head and kissed the inside of Charlie's wrist.

"Do you miss your family?" Charlie asked.

Joey frowned and looked into the fire, seeming to struggle with question.

"I miss my Mum," she said. "And yes, I guess I do miss my Dad and my brother. Or at least I miss the idea of them. I miss what I know they could be. I don't miss what they are or how they treated me."

"Do you think you'll ever reconcile?"

"No."

She continued to stroke Charlie's hand.

"I died to them a long time ago. They're ashamed of me. They always have been. I never quite fit, you know? I was always a little too loud, a little too cheeky, a little too gay."

They both laughed sadly.

"I was never good enough for them. But you know, aside from a relationship with my Mum, who I know would have tried with me if she'd have been given half a chance, I haven't really lost anything," Joey said. "All that's missing from my life now that they're not in it are judgements and beatings."

Charlie bit her lip and squeezed Joey's fingers. Joey turned to face her and leant forward. She kissed her lips just once and smiled.

"I hate to think of you suffering that kind of violence," Charlie said.

She looked down at the blanket, studying a blade of grass.

"It's not so bad. You've suffered worse than anything I've been through."

Charlie looked up quickly.

"I hate thinking about what Skip put you through," Joey said.

Charlie tried to smile. Joey kissed her wrist again. They gazed into each other's eyes.

"Well, none of that matters now," Charlie said. "Not where we've come from, what we've done, where we've been or what we've suffered. All that matters is me and you."

They kissed softly and held each other tight.


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

The next morning, Charlie woke to find Joey gone. Emerging from the caravan, she found the chickens were already running wild and Joey was leaning over the goat's fence. Charlie wandered over and placed her hands on Joey's waist. Joey titled her head so she could kiss Charlie good morning. She continued petting the goat.

"We're bonding," Joey explained.

Charlie smiled.

"Her name's Gabrielle."

"Gabrielle?"

"Gabby for short."

"Gabby the Goat?" Charlie clarified.

"Uh huh."

Charlie chuckled, thinking that Joey really was incredibly adorable.

"Hello, Gabby the Goat," Charlie said politely, reaching out to pet her too.

"Shall we drive out into town and explore a little today?" Joey suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Charlie said.

***

Having showered and got ready and left the animals and plants to their own devices, Charlie and Joey drove away from the farm, listening to the radio. The music reminded Charlie of Joey's promise.

"Don't think I've forgotten," she said with a grin.

"All in good time, my love," Joey said, smiling cheekily.

***

"Ooh, stop the car!" Joey demanded.

They had shopped and driven around town, getting out of the car at various locations to explore pretty places on foot. Now, Joey had spotted an opening in some woods. Obediently, Charlie stopped the car. The girls got out, took each other's hands and ventured through the trees, gasping when they saw the view. Down a small path, was a grassy clearing that led to a beautiful, crystal clear lake.

"Wow!" Joey said appreciatively.

"Yeah," Charlie agreed.

It really was breathtaking.

"We should come here for a picnic," Joey suggested, looking at Charlie to see whether she thought it was a good idea.

On a normal day, she would have dragged her into the water for something naughty right then and there but the scene was too tranquil. She didn't want to disturb it. It didn't feel quite right. Instead, she placed her hands on Charlie's hips and leaned close, kissing her delicately, feeling almost shy.

"You're more breathtaking than that lake," she whispered.

***

Joey was exhausted from eating a large lunch that compensated from missing breakfast. She lay back on the blanket and observed the chickens strutting around in the sunshine and then cast her eyes in the direction of Gabby the Goat. She hoped she was happy. Charlie stood and stretched, announcing her intention of going to relax in the hammock that had been constructed a few metres away between two sturdy looking trees. Joey watched her go, smiling in amusement as she watched her struggle to retain her balance. Joey lay back down and rested. She really shouldn't have eaten so much.

***

Several hours later, Joey was less full and rather lonely. Charlie was dozing in the hammock. Getting to her feet, Joey walked over, waking her with a kiss. Charlie smiled and kissed her harder, encouraging Joey to get into the hammock.

"You realise this could be a disaster?" Joey checked.

She scrambled inside the netting amid giggles and wobbles and finally they settled together safely. Charlie's hands immediately began to wander. She traced her fingers over Joey's shoulders, reaching over the top of her clothes, feeling her respond through the material. She smiled to herself and used her other hand to delve beneath Joey's top and fabric of her bra. Joey tried to find a place to touch Charlie but she wasn't in the right position. All she could do was kiss her. Their breathing got heavier as their kissing and stroking became more intense. They shifted slightly; the hammock swung. They landed on the floor in a heap.

"Ow!" Joey cried out, although she was giggling just as much as Charlie, who had landed on top of her.

They didn't let the incident stop them. Charlie's hands reached for the bottom of Joey's top, removing it and then fumbling for the clasp of her bra as she lay her down on the grass beneath the hammock. Their lips met again as Charlie's body covered Joey's. Joey's right hand slipped inside Charlie's shorts urgently while her other arm clung to her waist. She never wanted to stop kissing her. She never wanted to stop making her happy. She wanted to continue seeking a higher level of intimacy between them for the rest of their lives.

***

To say that Joey was satisfied would be an understatement and judging by the look on Charlie's face, she was feeling something similar. Since falling out of the hammock, they hadn't stopped making love and it was now nearing midnight. Joey didn't think she would ever tire of finding new ways to pleasure Charlie. She'd never known love making to be so exciting and varied before. Holding her lover close, she smiled to herself, deciding that Charlie would get the reward she desired so much, tomorrow night.

"Oh, hey, look!" she said, pointing upwards.

Charlie did as she was told and they both watched as a shooting star made its way across the sky.

"Make a wish," Charlie said.

They both silently wished that they would stay together forever.


	53. Chapter 53

_Okay, if this doesn't grant me forgiveness for skipping the pole dancing bit then nothing will...! IJKS xx_

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

Charlie smiled, pleased with herself when she finally got the water in the small tub to exactly the right temperature. She stripped off and climbed in, appreciating the change from the solar powered shower. One of the cats, a tiny black creature called Ruby approached and propped her paws up on the side of the metal tin curiously. Losing interest quickly, she wandered away again. Charlie watched her go and then smiled when she saw Joey approach. She had been talking to Gabby the Goat. Joey had got quite attached to her these last few days. Charlie decided that she would only worry when the goat started talking back. Smiling cheerfully, Joey crouched down beside the tub.

"Need any help?" she offered.

***

Joey had enjoyed a wonderful day. Charlie had taken it upon herself to do the shopping and take on all the farm jobs. Joey had relaxed, hung out with Gabby and rummaged through Alice's cupboards, finding some juggling balls, which she'd taken to surprisingly easily. Now, Charlie was cooking over the fire and Joey had escaped inside the caravan and was trying to find her most attractive outfit. She thought Charlie deserved stage two of her reward chart tonight and she wanted to make it special. She frowned at all her clothes. She really needed to learn to dress sexily. Finally, she settled on tight black trousers that clung in the right places and a white shirt. She'd read somewhere that buttons during a striptease could only be a good thing. Now she only wished she had the ability to wear anything but sturdy boots and running shoes. No shoes at would have to do, she decided.

"Dinner's ready," Charlie called from outside.

Joey craned her neck, trying to check her reflection in the tiny mirror on the caravan wall. Hoping she looked alright, she stepped outside. Charlie wolf whistled.

"What's with the smart?" she asked.

"I just thought I'd make the effort," Joey said casually.

She sat on the blanket and accepted her plate.

***

"You know, you really do look hot in that shirt," Charlie said.

She had spent much of their meal trying to peer down the opening. Judging by the outline underneath the shirt, Joey was possibly wearing the bra that she'd bought her, which hopefully only meant one very wonderful thing.

"Thank you very much," Joey replied.

She gently slapped Charlie's hand away when she reached to undo a button.

"You'll ruin it," Joey warned.

Charlie's eyes lit up with hope. She smiled.

"The laptop's in the van," Joey told her. "Go get it and start it up while I try and remember this routine so that I don't let you down."

She couldn't help but feel a little nervous about it. Charlie seemed to think that she was perfect, that she could perform like some kind of professional. Star had only taught her in the backroom of a club over the course of a few rather inebriated nights. She was worried. She really did want to be perfect for her girlfriend who had scampered away to get the laptop immediately.

***

Charlie was beyond excited. Her body was tingling all over with the thrill of watching Joey tease her. The music had been playing for a short while and Joey was standing in front of her in nothing but stockings, a thong, a bra that barely contained her and an open shirt. Charlie licked her lips, enthralled as Joey, her hips never ceasing their motion slipped the shirt off and let it fall to the ground. For the second time in a week, Charlie congratulated herself on her ability to choose lingerie. Joey extended one leg, offering it up so that Charlie could remove the stocking. Charlie leapt into action from where she sat on the floor, slowing removing the item, kissing each inch of bare skin she exposed. Technically, that was against the rules but Joey enjoyed it too much to make her stop. Joey swapped legs and Charlie the same thing. Joey stood over her. Charlie remained at her feet, gazing up at her beautiful body. Joey reached behind her and unhooked her bra. She let it fall. Charlie caught it, mesmerised by Joey's breasts as if she had never seen them before. Joey sank down onto her knees, allowing Charlie to come in line with her chest. Charlie leant forward, so desperate to capture them in her mouth. Joey held her back, grinning and shaking her head, thinking that she deserved an award for restraint. The hunger in Charlie's eyes was intoxicating and Joey's body was aching to be touched.

"No touching," she whispered.

Charlie pouted. Joey stood back up and slipped out of her last item of clothing.

Charlie gazed at her, mesmerised.

"Have to touch," she wailed almost inaudibly.

The song finished. Joey marvelled at the effect she had on her girlfriend. Charlie made her feel sexy. She made her feel special and worthwhile. She made her feel loved. Joey granted her the permission they had both longed for from the start. She gasped audibly, delighted at the sensations running through her as Charlie settled herself between her legs, ready to begin a teasing routine of her own.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter Fifty-Four**

The following afternoon, Charlie and Joey were stretched out in their swimsuits on the grassy verge by the lake they had found a couple of days previously. The sun was warm, their tummies were full and both were officially in bliss. Joey reached across the blanket and caught hold of Charlie's hand.

"I never ever want to leave this place," she said, gazing up at the clouds above her.

"Nor do I," Charlie agreed. "I think Aunt Alice has the right idea. Although, I'm not sure I could do it alone like she does."

"I'm not sure she's as alone as she makes out," Joey revealed.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked, turning her head towards her girlfriend.

"While I was rummaging for another box of matches yesterday, I found some um… intimate photographs of her and her uh… 'friend'."

"What?" Charlie squeaked.

"More evidence to suggest genetics," Joey giggled.

"Please make sure I never see those photos," Charlie begged.

"I put them back where I found them, don't worry," Joey assured her. "But phew, she's got an even better toy collection than we have!"

Charlie sat up straight, her eyes wide. Joey sat up more slowly, laughing softly.

"You'd better be talking teddy bears this time, Joey Collins," she warned. "Otherwise, my head might explode."

Joey laughed louder and leant to kiss her.

"Well, one thing was pink and fluffy," she said.

Charlie clapped her hands over her ears.

"La, la, la, I'm not listening!" she sang.

Joey kissed her again, succeeding in making her stop. She guided her back down onto the blanket and lay on top of her.

"Alright, I'm kidding. They were soft and cuddly, I swear," she lied.

"Good," Charlie said, relieved.

They kissed.

"Some with powers of vibration."

Charlie kissed Joey harder, mostly to keep her from talking. She rolled her onto her back and felt Joey wrap her arms tightly around her.

***

The next evening, Charlie and Joey ventured back into town to have a meal in a restaurant for their last night away. The week had been perfect for both of them and neither one particularly wanted to go home. There wasn't anything terrible waiting for them, aside perhaps from Davina, but living on the farm had been too good to be true. Plus, Joey was going to miss Gabby the Goat terribly, not to mention the chickens and the cats. Charlie and Joey felt like they had learnt a lot more about each other while they'd been away, that they'd got more emotionally intimate as they'd spent their time getting back to basics with nature. The woods had freaked Charlie out a little at first, with her experiences of Skip still in her head, but she'd recovered quickly enough and both women felt completely safe in their little isolated world.

"Well, here's to us," Charlie proposed.

"And a lifetime of happiness," Joey added.

They clinked their glasses and drank, holding hands over the table.

***

Joey woke up feeling sad the following morning. Their last night together had been romantic to say the least. After a delicious meal, they'd driven back to the farm and made love under the stars, falling asleep by the fire. Joey was disappointed that their trip was coming to an end. The week had gone too quickly. Slipping out of the sleeping bag, she left Charlie to her slumber and released the chickens, collected several eggs and brought them back. Then she headed over to say good morning to Gabby, feed her and give her a cuddle. She would miss her terribly too. Leaning against the fence, Joey sighed heavily.

"Maybe we can come back and visit you sometime," she said sadly, fondling Gabby's ears. "I'm really going to miss you, you know."

She smiled, still sad when she felt Charlie slip her arms around her.

"We'd better start packing," she said.

"I know."

"Hey, we're still going to be together when we get back," Charlie said. "It just won't be here."

Joey turned round to face her.

"I'm being silly," she said. "I just love this. I love being with you in this peaceful place where there isn't anyone to interfere with us or hurt us. It's just me and you, happy, safe and in love. It's nice here. We don't have to worry about anything."

Charlie kissed her softly.

"What is there to worry about at home?" she asked.

"Well, nothing really. It's just real life, I guess. I've never been a fan."

She clung tightly to Charlie, burying her face in her neck.

"Trials, struggling parents, jobs that keep us apart for a ridiculous number of hours a day…" Charlie ventured.

"Evil police officers," Joey added.

Charlie held her a little tighter.

"All the things that we can pretend don't exist here, right?"

"Right."

"Well, they might exist back home, but they don't particularly matter," Charlie said.

Joey looked into her eyes.

"As long as we're together, everything can be as perfect back home as it is here."

Joey smiled and hugged her again. Charlie nudged her into walking back towards the caravan so they could begin to pack their things.

"Do you think we could sneak Gabby into the back of the car?" Joey asked.

***

Evening was drawing in when Charlie and Joey arrived back in the Bay. Ruby was waiting up for them, eager to welcome them back and find out all about their trip. Many hugs and an excited interrogation later, they were all nearly crashed out in the living room.

"Oh, hey, can I ask you guys a question?" Ruby asked.

Charlie was immediately suspicious.

"Would you come to dinner with Xavier and me and Xavier's brother?"

Charlie was pleasantly surprised and agreed. Joey nodded.

"Hugo's just arrived in town and he doesn't really know anyone," Ruby explained.

Joey pulled a face.

"Hugo?" she whined.

"Have you met him already?" Ruby asked.

"Wait, is that the guy who…?" Charlie asked.

"Who what?" Ruby asked, instantly intrigued.

"Oh, it's nothing," Joey said dismissively. "He's just a little relentless in hitting on people, that's all."

Charlie frowned.

"You guys will still come, won't you?" Ruby said worriedly.

"Of course we will," Charlie assured her. "Just make sure he keeps his hands to himself."


	55. Chapter 55

_Thank you to funkyshaz who picked up on the anomaly regarding how long Charlie and Joey have been together. I completely forgot about the whole five month recovery period for Charlie's injuries. Changed now! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

Charlie reluctantly crawled out of bed, wishing she had been able to wangle another day off work instead of having to hit the ground running the very next day after she and Joey returned. Having showered, dressed, skipped breakfast and drunk a strong coffee, she crept back into the bedroom and crouched by the side of the bed. She tenderly stroked Joey's face, whispered goodbye and kissed her forehead. Without waking her, she slipped out of the room, ready to face the day.

***

Arriving at work cheerfully, she was greeted by Angelo who wanted to know in graphic detail how her holiday with Joey had been. She winked and smiled and said it was fine, thank you very much before heading towards her office. She bumped right into Davina on her way.

"Hey, Charlie," the other woman said, smiling at her.

"Hi," Charlie said tightly.

"Did you have a good trip? We missed you."

"It's was great. Excuse me," Charlie said, moving past her.

"Hey, Charlie!" Watson said cheerfully.

"Hi, Watson!" Charlie replied, suddenly coming to life again.

"We missed you!"

"Missed you too!"

"Liar! I bet you've forgotten who we are," Watson laughed.

Once Charlie was in her office, Watson glanced at Davina. They had hardly seen each other all week and she was painfully aware of the time that Davina was spending with Angelo now. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. She hoped that Charlie would be free for lunch. She could do with someone to talk to. Nothing felt clear with Davina. Sometimes she wanted her around and sometimes she didn't and like a lapdog, Watson obeyed the ever changing rules. She was starting not to like herself very much. And she was starting not to like Davina and Angelo very much either. Davina smiled. Watson's heart melted. She smiled back, silently scolded herself and then hurried away.

***

Ruby sat at school fretting over her dinner with Xavier, Hugo, Charlie and Joey. She glanced at her boyfriend who was oblivious to her turmoil. She'd felt relaxed about it until last night when she'd discovered that Hugo had hit on Joey. If she knew her sister even half as well as she thought she did, she knew she'd be feeling possessive right about now, especially after the Davina debacle had nearly torn them apart. She was glad that they'd had a good time away together, as much as she had missed them and as much as she could really have done with having them around. Her Dad and Morag lived nearby but as much as she loved her father, he had never been the engaged parental figure that her mother and then Charlie had been. He wasn't the one that she turned to for the kind of advice she needed now that she was a teenager, especially now that she was in love. These days, advice and care was firmly in Charlie's and now Joey's domain. She sighed. She really wanted tonight to go well.

***

At lunch, Joey and Charlie instantly picked up on Watson's sadness and they were certain they knew who was behind it.

"What's up?" Joey asked, getting straight to the point.

"Nothing," Watson lied.

Joey just raised her eyebrows.

"Davina."

"How did I guess?" Joey asked, pulling a face.

Watson eyed her curiously, wondering what her friend had against her… other friend? Her girlfriend? Her sex buddy? Her fling? She had no idea what Davina was supposed to mean to her.

"It's not working out," Watson said.

"You need to stop seeing her," Joey said, emotion very obviously present in her voice.

Watson and Charlie both looked startled.

"You know she's sleeping with Angelo, don't you?" Watson concluded.

"And the rest," Joey muttered.

Charlie looked hurt. Joey sighed and apologised, holding her hand across the table.

"What have I missed?" Watson said, utterly confused.

"Davina came on to me. And yes, we know about Angelo," Charlie explained. "I'm so sorry, Watson. We should have said something."

Joey cleared her throat.

"I should have said something," Charlie corrected herself. "Me, not Joey. Joey's innocent. I'm the one completely at fault."

"She didn't tell me about Davina either," Joey explained.

"And we just had a lovely holiday to make up for it," Charlie reminded her.

Joey smiled and leant against Charlie.

"Sorry. I just really don't like that woman."

She looked at Watson's sad face.

"Sorry," she said to her.

"It's okay. I'm starting to not like her either."

"Well, at least we're all in agreement," Charlie said, trying to sound positive.

***

Back at home, Charlie felt tense as she and Joey got ready for Ruby's dinner at the Diner. She felt a little hurt that Joey had gone on about Davina and she worried that she didn't forgive her for lying about it. Gazing at her girlfriend who was merrily throwing shirts out of the wardrobe, she thought about how much she loved her and hoped that they would bounce back from what happened. She'd believed all week that it was forgotten about. It was a shock to hear Joey speaking about it today. As if hearing her thinking, Joey turned and smiled at Charlie.

"I'm sorry," Joey said. "I make off hand comments when I'm grumpy and I shouldn't have. It's not about you."  
Charlie tried to smile.

"Are you sure? It felt like it was about me."

"It's not," Joey said, making her way over to her girlfriend. "I'm just a little paranoid that she's going to make another play for you and it's bugging me."

"Well, whether she does or she doesn't, you have nothing to worry about. You know that, right?"

"I know," Joey said confidently. "And you'll tell me if she does?"

"Charlie Buckton does not make the same mistake twice!"

Joey smiled and wrapped her arms around her. They kissed.

"I really didn't mean to hurt you with what I said today," Joey said.

"It's fine," Charlie assured her.

***

Ruby banged impatiently on the door.

"Guys, we're running late!" she bellowed.

"Sorry!" she heard her sister squeak.

"We'll be out in a minute!" Joey added.

***

Inside the room, Joey readjusted her bra and Charlie buttoned her shirt back up. They honestly had no idea how the time had got away from them. One minute they had been making up and the next they had been making out. Now it was half an hour later, their lips were swollen and they were risking incurring Ruby's wrath. Finally ready, they emerged from the room. Ruby looked cranky but beautiful all dressed up.

"At last!" she complained.

They apologised again.

"Oh and guys, by the way, the pole set up in your room? Scarred me for life!"

***

Hugo and Xavier stood up to greet Ruby, Charlie and Joey when they arrived at the Diner.

"Wow!" Hugo exclaimed, looking Charlie up and down.

Charlie and Joey exchanged glances.

"And I think we've already established that I think you're stunning," he added to Joey.

Neither girl knew whether to be flattered of infuriated.

"This is a meet the family thing, Hugo," Xavier said through clenched teeth. "Don't hit on them!"  
"Sorry!" Hugo apologised, holding his hands up defensively.

"It's fine," Charlie said uncertainly.

She didn't think she'd ever met someone so hideously inappropriate before.

"So, you two..." Hugo said, gesturing to Charlie and Joey. "How does that work?"

"Hugo!" Xavier snapped.

Ruby looked horrified. Charlie and Joey just looked confused.

"It works perfectly, thank you very much," Joey finally said.

Ruby grinned and continued eating.

"Have you been together long?" Hugo persisted.

"Seven months this time around," Joey said. "But technically we got together three years ago."

"I have to say I'm surprised," Hugo continued.

Charlie sighed. She didn't want to have this conversation.

"I mean, you're both so good looking. I wouldn't have thought you'd have trouble getting men."

"We don't," Charlie said quickly. "But we don't want men. We want each other."

"Have you ever tried guys?" Hugo asked. "I mean, maybe you just don't know what you're missing."

Joey wanted to either hit him or walk out. She looked at Ruby who was obviously hating the conversation and resisted making it worse.

"I've dated guys," Charlie told him. "They just don't measure up."

Joey knew what Hugo was going to say before he said it.

"Maybe you just haven't met the right one."

_So predicable, _she thought to herself. She waited for Charlie to respond, say something about meeting the right woman. She didn't. She just focussed on her food.

"What about you then, Joey?" Hugo asked.

Ruby threw an apologetic look at second sister. She hadn't expected the meal to turn out this way. Charlie and Joey hadn't had a chance to get to know Xavier at all. That had been the point. She hoped they didn't judge him based on his brother.

"What about me?" Joey asked.

"Ever had a man?"

"I'm quite happy with women, thank you."

"But how do you know?"

"Have you ever had a man, Hugo?" she asked.

Hugo looked horrified. Xavier giggled and choked on his food.

"Then how do _you _know women are all there is?"

"Well... I just know."

"Point proved. Can we talk about something else now?"

"Yes!" Ruby said desperately.

"Do you guys identify as gay or what then?" Hugo asked, obviously not prepared to let the subject drop.

"Why is that so important?" Joey asked.

She gripped her fork, thinking about several places that she'd like to stab Hugo right about now.

"I'm just being friendly. You know, interested in my potential future family."

Xavier began to choke again and Ruby made a strange squeaking noise that didn't sound human. Charlie suppressed a smile. It was the most entertaining part of the evening so far.

"So?" Hugo asked.

"Fine, yes!" Joey snapped.

She really wanted to go home. This guy made her skin crawl.

"And you?"

Charlie blanched. This question was harder than figuring out where the apostrophe went. She hated it. Why did people have to ask it so much? Why did people have to make it their business to demand of her whether she liked men, women or both? She didn't even know. She looked at Hugo. She wasn't attracted to him. She thought about Roman. She had been attracted to him. She thought about Watson. No interest there. She gazed at Joey. She'd never been so crazy about and physically attracted to another person in all her life. But what did that all mean? And why was it even important? Why was there such a need to box people in, categorise and label them, restrict them from being one thing or the other? She continued to looked at Joey who was gazing right back at her, obviously waiting for an answer.

"I don't know what I am," Charlie said.

It sounded weak. It wasn't what she meant.

"I don't think it matters, does it? I don't feel the need to label people," she added.

Joey looked about to settle for that answer until Hugo spoke up.

"Bit of a free spirit, are we?" he said with a suggestive grin.

Charlie looked confused. Joey watched the interaction intently.

"Well, you know, people say that because they like to flit from one thing to anther, from one _person_ to another? Is that how you guys work? You do your thing and then Charlie goes and has a guy when she feels like it?"

"No!" the girls said in unison.

Joey fought with images in her head. She looked at Charlie, suddenly suspicious, no matter how she tried to talk herself out of it. Was that why Charlie would never commit to an answer? Was it a sign that she didn't want to commit to her?

"You can be in a monogamous relationship without shouting about whether your gay or bi or whatever," Charlie snapped. "I don't want to get the word 'lesbian' tattooed to my forehead. That doesn't mean that I want to go fuck a bunch of guys on the side."

She coloured when she heard Ruby squeak again. She had almost forgotten that she was there. Charlie did a lot of things in front of her sister but this kind of thing wasn't one of them. Xavier looked amused. Charlie couldn't read Joey's expression.

"I don't," Charlie said to her more quietly.

"I know," Joey said, her voice quivering slightly.

"I really think we should talk about something else," Ruby said. "Because this has lasted for the starter and the main course and I'm itching for dessert."

Hugo nodded, pleased with the friction he had caused. When he'd first met Joey, he'd immediately wanted to sleep with her but she was very obviously off limits and perhaps a greater challenge than even he could manage. Charlie on the other hand, could be swayed, he was sure of it and he had already managed to divide the couple a little. He could tell that much.

"Yeah, I think we should. Ruby, what did we miss while we were away?" Joey asked, her voice returning to normal.

Ruby glanced at Xavier and then back at Joey.

"Not much," she said vaguely. "I went to school, did my homework the minute I got home, ate no junk food at all…"

Charlie and Joey both giggled.

"My sister the saint," Charlie said proudly.

***

That night, Joey lay in Charlie's arms as usual but everything felt different. Her heart was heavy and her mind was far too alert to even contemplate sleep. She stared into the dark, listening to Charlie's breathing and feeling the up and down motion of her chest. It felt so strange to be so in tune with someone and yet to be so completely unable to empathise with her situation. She tried to think far back to when she was younger, grappling with her sexuality and trying to figure out who she was. But the process had started when she was eleven years old. She was twenty five now and it felt like a different life. And the difference was that she had known from the start that she was gay. It had been hard for her to say the words out loud but she had accepted it and understood it very quickly. She didn't think that's how it was for Charlie, who genuinely didn't believe that she was gay. And that was the problem. Joey had never cared before but Hugo had sprinkled seeds of doubt in her mind. While she didn't think Charlie would be unfaithful to her and that she was too beautiful a spirit to do that, what if, at some point, she decided that she needed a man? What if Joey wasn't fulfilling her? She had assumed all this time that she was. Their sex life was amazing and their ability to communicate blew her away. As far as Joey was concerned, everything was perfect. But Charlie hadn't rushed to defend them tonight. She hadn't stood up for them. Her reasoning for not identifying as gay had sounded like an excuse, which only helped the seeds of doubt become shoots. Joey closed her eyes, willing sleep to wash over her. She didn't want to think about this anymore. She wished they'd never come home. Everything had been perfect on the farm. They had lived in bliss for a week and now it felt like they had come crashing down to earth. Lifting her head, she looked at Charlie, deep in sleep and oblivious to Joey's midnight musings. She really was the most beautiful person that she had ever had the honour of laying eyes on. That she was allowed to share her life with her, be near her, hold her, kiss her and make love to her, was an honour. Joey snuggled back down. In her slumber, Charlie lifted an arm to hold Joey closer. Despite her fears and doubts, Joey felt comforted. She smiled and finally let sleep claim her, hoping to forget everything by the time she woke in the morning.


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

The following evening, Charlie and Joey were seated round a table in the Surf Club with Leah, Roman, Watson, Jack, Martha and Hugo. Joey hadn't been thrilled when Hugo showed up but she didn't want to make a fuss so she stayed quiet, sat far away from him, refused to let go of Charlie's arm, and prayed that he wouldn't talk to her for the rest of the night. Charlie was feeling uncomfortable. Joey had been in a strange mood since the previous night and Charlie was certain there was more to it that Hugo being a little shit at dinner. She'd tried to get Joey to talk about it several times that day but her girlfriend was refusing to budge. She kept insisting that everything was okay but Charlie was far from convinced.

"Do you mind if we join you?"

Joey looked up sharply, coming face to face with Davina, smiling as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Joey glared. Davina continued to smile. Everyone looked awkwardly at Watson, who had officially told her that day that they shouldn't see each other anymore.

"Go ahead," Watson said.

It wasn't the answer she really wanted to give but she didn't want Davina to have the satisfaction of knowing she cared and that seeing her with Angelo hurt. The group shuffled up and the new couple sat down with their drinks.

"So, you're all looking lively," Davina said sarcastically.

To be fair, it had been quite a mellow evening.

"We're fine, thank you," Joey snapped.

"Okay. I was thinking of a party game, that's all," Davina said, keeping her voice silky and light.

Hugo's eyes lit up.

"What kind of game?"

"Truth or dare."

Joey shook her head. She didn't want to play. She moved to get up. Charlie stood in order to follow her.

"Oh, come on guys," Leah urged. "It'll be fun."

"I just want to go home," Joey said.

Suddenly sitting in a group with Charlie's ex boyfriend, a complete sleazebag and a woman who'd made a pass at her girlfriend was too much for her. She was about to hurry out when she saw Watson, looking forlorn. She sighed, not wanting to abandon her and knowing that she couldn't lose face and leave when Davina and Angelo had only just arrived. She sat back down, pulling Charlie with her.

"You owe me," she whispered.

"I know," Watson said gratefully.

***

The group had been playing the game for a short while.

"Okay, Watson, truth or dare?" Charlie asked when she spun the empty bottle and it landed on her colleague.

"Dare," Watson said.

She didn't much care what it was and she wasn't in the mood for talking or revealing anything that might make her more vulnerable in front of Davina and Angelo. Davina had her hand in Angelo's lap. In his defence, he didn't look terribly comfortable with flaunting their new romance in front of her but Davina wasn't one to argue with. Watson knew that better than anyone. She could wrap anyone around her little finger, except possibly Charlie. She admired her for resisting Davina's charms and thought she must truly love Joey with all her heart for not giving into the temptations of an evil goddess. She smiled at her, hoping she'd be kind.

"Um… oh, I'm not good at these," Charlie frowned. "Down your pint."

"That's lame!" Hugo protested.

"It's my choice of dare. Like it or lump it," Charlie told him.

Joey retained her grip on Charlie's arm. She didn't even like her partner talking to Hugo and she thought she'd go crazy if she so much as looked at Davina. And even though Roman was here as Leah's date, paranoia was getting to her, knowing that he had, once upon a time, made love to Charlie. She watched Watson down her beer and listened to the others cheer her on, scolding herself for behaving this way. It wasn't like her at all. It felt alien and wrong. She didn't want to feel like this. Watson spun the bottle. It landed on Roman.

"Truth," he decided.

"Have you ever cheated on a girlfriend?" she asked.

The question was very obviously for Davina's benefit. Unfortunately, everybody but Davina and Hugo reacted – Hugo because he didn't know what had gone on and Davina because she didn't care.

"No, I can honestly say I haven't."

***

The game continued with Martha skipping round the bar singing that the hills were alive with the sound of music and Leah describing her very first sexual experience in graphic detail. She spun. It landed on Joey.

"Truth or dare?"

"I'll go for truth."

Leah puzzled over it for several excruciating minutes, complaining that she couldn't think of anything good.

"How about, if you had to go with someone round this table that wasn't Charlie, who would it be?" Davina suggested.

Charlie flinched.

"I'd be celibate," Joey said.

"No way!" Hugo urged. "You have to pick someone."

Joey looked around the group. Davina made her skin crawl, Leah and Martha were firmly heterosexual and she couldn't think of them that way, leaving only Watson as the obvious choice. She frowned.

"But I only want to be with Charlie," she said, sounding lost.

Charlie grinned proudly. Leah and Martha suddenly found Joey adorable and Davina and Hugo united in making retching noises.

"You know that's not an acceptable answer," Davina said.

"Fine, I'd choose myself. We'd have a wonderful and loving relationship, if a little introspective. I'm sitting round the table, so I definitely count and I already know I'm awesome in bed."

She grinned triumphantly and spun the bottle.

***

As the game continued, Jack admitted that next to Martha, he thought that Leah was the most beautiful woman in the Bay and then challenged Angelo to go the bathroom, remove his underwear, come out and wear it on his head for the duration of the game. It was juvenile but everyone was getting a lot of enjoyment out of the looks he was getting from other patrons.

"Okay, Hugo," he said. "You're new to the Bay. Who would you like to sleep with most?"

He was always one to get right to the point.

"Charlie," Hugo said, not missing a beat. "I mean, if Joey wants to join in too, that'd be amazing and actually, I wanted her first but yeah, Charlie and I could make magic together."

Davina smiled to herself. Hugo had confirmed his interest in Charlie. She had suspected it from the start but it was now tangible information she could use and judging by the expression on Joey's face, using it would be highly entertaining.

"Yeah, you can keep dreaming," Charlie said. "It's never going to happen."

"We'll see," he replied confidently.

Charlie glanced at Joey who was squeezing her hand so hard she was cutting off the circulation. Realising, Joey loosened her grip. Hugo spun the bottle.

"Davina, truth or dare?" he asked.

"Truth."

"What's the deal?" he asked, gesturing to Davina, Angelo, Watson, Joey and Charlie.

Everyone but Davina shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, I was sleeping with Watson and she got caught up in the idea that we were exclusive, even though I told her that I wasn't. Now she's thrown her toys out of the pram because I'm sleeping with Angelo and there's something between Charlie and I, hence Joey looking at me like she wants to kill me."

She sipped her drink and leaned back in her chair as if she had told a fairy story.

"There's nothing between you and I!" Charlie snapped.

Ignoring her, Davina leant forward and spun the bottle. Her eyes lit up when it landed on her furious colleague.

"Dare," Charlie said.

She wasn't sure which option would be worse.

"Kiss Hugo."

Joey's grip on Charlie's arm almost reached breaking point. Hugo's grin turned into a definite leer.

"No way," Charlie said.

"Uh-uh, you can't back out. Rules of the game."

"I'm not kissing him," Charlie said firmly.

Joey refused to let go of her girlfriend.

"It's the rules," Davina repeated.

"Oh, come on Davina," Angelo said. "That's not a fair dare."

Sensing that it was going to go round in circles and turn into a row, Martha suggested that Charlie kiss Hugo on the cheek. Charlie just wanted the whole situation to be over. She looked at Joey who, defeated, released her and shrugged. Charlie leant over and grimaced as her lips neared Hugo's cheek. He turned his head at the last minute and caught her lips. She pulled away instantly but he'd reached round to hold the back of her head. She pushed away from him, shoving him so hard that he fell back into his chair. She sat back down, furious.

"Hugo, that was not cool," Jack told his cousin, embarrassed.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," Hugo grinned.

Charlie wiped her mouth. She dared to look at Joey who looked like she'd been told the world was going to end in a matter of minutes. She reached for her hand but there was no life in Joey's touch. Davina watched the interaction and smirked.

***

The group had broken up a little and the game had ended quickly after the 'kiss'. Charlie had spent the next half an hour practically chasing Joey round the Surf Club trying to explain, even though she hadn't done anything wrong. She bought a couple more drinks at the bar and headed towards her girlfriend. The farm felt like such a long time ago and it broke her heart. Hugo stepped into her line of vision. Charlie tried to move out of the way but he blocked her.

"Would you move please?" she snapped. "Don't you think you've caused enough trouble for one night?"

"I think the party's just getting started."

Charlie looked around him. Joey was sitting with Watson, her eyes fixed on her and Hugo.

"Just let me past, please."

***

Joey got to her feet, slowly approaching Hugo and Charlie. She couldn't stop replaying the kiss in her mind. It was encouraging that Charlie hadn't responded, that she had rejected him so harshly but it had still happened. Joey felt scarred for life. She stopped nearby, directly behind Hugo so that neither he, nor Charlie could see her.

"Come on, aren't you even a little bit curious?" Hugo asked.

"No, not even a little bit."

"I'm certain that she couldn't satisfy you like I can, Charlie."

"I'm certain that you're wrong."

"Get real, Charlie," Hugo said. "Lesbian sex is just pretending."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Charlie protested.

"For good, satisfying sex, you need something that just doesn't exist between two women."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. I've had guys and I've had Joey and I can assure you that there's only one person who's left me completely satisfied and never needing to fake anything."

Joey felt smug.

"I'm sure she's amazing but you'll get bored, Charlie. It won't last. And when you do, make sure you come to me, okay? Pretend sex is just a phase you're going through right now. I'm determined to give you the real thing."

The final reference to 'pretend sex', coupled with her certainty that Charlie was going to leave her was just too much. Joey said Hugo's name and tapped his broad shoulder. The minute he turned, her fist connected with his face.


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter Fifty-Seven**

"Fuck!" Hugo bellowed, clutching his nose.

Joey pulled back, trembling slightly. Charlie's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe that Joey had just punched Hugo in the face. Davina watched from close by, a smile playing on her lips. Angelo felt awkward beyond the telling of it.

"You bitch," Hugo snapped.

Blood poured from his nose. Joey shrugged and turned away. Hugo angrily gripped her shoulders to pull her back to him. Charlie hurriedly put her drinks down, ready to step in.

"I could press charges for this!" Hugo raged.

"You deserved it!" Joey argued, still furious. "Press all the charges you want. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"Joey…" Charlie warned.

Joey ignored her, focussing solely on Hugo.

"I wasn't even talking to you when you did that!"

"You were trying to get my girlfriend to sleep with you!"

"And she will eventually," Hugo said, lowering his voice slightly.

Joey lurched forward, ready to hit him again.

"Do you want some more?" she threatened.

"Joey…" Charlie said again, this time succeeding in getting her attention and laying a hand on her arm to still her.

"You need to keep control of your girlfriend," Hugo told Charlie, still tending his nose.

He turned and stormed into the bathroom. It was only then that Joey realised that everyone was staring. Davina stepped forward.

"Feisty!" she commented.

Without thinking, Joey grabbed one of the drinks that Charlie had put down on the bar. She threw the contents of the glass in Davina's face, grabbed Charlie's hand and stormed out of the Surf Club.

***

"I can't believe you punched him!" Charlie exclaimed, shocked and amused.

She trotted along as Joey marched out of the venue.

"He deserved it," Joey said definitely.

"You… you could have got into so much trouble, Joey. If he'd have pressed charges…"

Joey stopped and turned to face her girlfriend.

"Okay, we're out for a night. Some cock sure guy comes up to _me_. You have to sit and listen to him tell me that I'll never really be happy with you, that I'll never really be satisfied and that you could be a much better replacement."

Charlie licked her lips.

"If you'd have pulled your arm back a little further, you could have got a lot more power behind your fist," she replied.

They grinned at each other and hugged. Joey collapsed against Charlie.

"He just… he hit a nerve, that's all. So… so I hit him. I know it was probably the wrong thing to do but I'd do it again if I could. Harder."

Charlie stroked her face.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You didn't do anything," Joey said. "He kissed you, you pushed him away."

Charlie visibly deflated.

"I know but I shouldn't have put myself in that position. I'm so fucking stupid."

She turned away with tears in her eyes and brushed them away furiously. She didn't want to admit how much Hugo had upset her. Joey stood behind, putting her arms around her and holding her tight, surprised by her reaction.

"Hey, Charlie, it's okay," she said gently.

"Sorry," Charlie managed.

"It's alright, sweetheart."

She managed to turn Charlie around and hold her more firmly. Eventually Charlie lifted her head and wiped her eyes. She smiled.

"It's just, people shouldn't kiss people without permission," she said. "It's not fair. They should have permission if they want to do something like that."

Joey ran her fingers down Charlie's cheek.

"Can I have permission?" she asked.

Charlie smiled.

"You always have permission."

They kissed tenderly.

***

Charlie and Joey went for a short walk along the beach, holding hands to try and clear their heads. They knew they needed to talk about the past couple of days but neither was ready yet. Coming back around to the Surf Club, they decided to head back home. Before they began walking again, Joey paused and kissed Charlie. Charlie melted into the kiss, letting it develop quickly and passionately. She wanted nothing more than to be with Joey and let her wash away the memories of all that had gone before. Breathless they pulled away. Joey's lips curled into a smile and she left her hands on Charlie's hips, stroking the skin underneath her top.

"I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too."

They kissed again.

"And I um… do satisfy you?" Joey asked with the hint of a smile.

Charlie caught the glint in her eye and looked at her curiously, wondering exactly what she might be planning.

"Of course you do," she replied.

Joey began placing soft kisses on her neck. Charlie audibly groaned.

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that," Joey breathed. "But I'm still a little insecure."

"You are?" Charlie asked, playing along as Joey's kisses trailed down to her cleavage.

"I am. I think I need to double check your level of satisfaction," Joey said.

Her kisses became more intense and Charlie began responding.

"Well, let's hurry home then," Charlie said.

"No," Joey said. "I need you here."

Charlie glanced around.

"The beach?" she asked.

Before she knew what was happening, Joey had guided her onto the bonnet of the nearest car. They began kissing more intensely.

"Joey!" Charlie vaguely protested. "We're on someone's car! Actually, isn't this…?"

"Yep," Joey replied simply.

Her hand made its descent down Charlie's body.

"Do you object?" Joey asked, pausing.

"Not even a little bit," Charlie breathed.

Joey continued what she was doing. Charlie melted into her touch.

***

Hugo's nose still hurt but his pride was dented more than anything. He couldn't believed that he'd let some girl punch him. He was still toying with the idea of pressing charges. The idea of Charlie having to arrest her own girlfriend was a pleasant one. Davina had stormed out fairly quickly after Joey had thrown the drink over her with Angelo in hot pursuit. Everyone had been talking about Joey's antics. Roman and Leah had been stunned. Watson had looked giddy with pride. Martha and Jack had declined to comment.

"Look, can we head home now?" he asked his cousin.

"Yeah, sure," Jack replied, finishing his drink.

Jack wanted to be loyal to his cousin but he'd been wrong to kiss Charlie like that and he could only imagine what Hugo had been saying to Charlie to wind Joey up enough to hit him. Hugo had filled Martha in a little and she hadn't been impressed. The threesome headed out of the Surf Club.

"Hey!" Hugo yelled.

Charlie and Joey finished rearranging their clothes and stood up.

"That's my car!"

He began to hurry forward. The girls made a break for it and dashed off as fast as they could. Hugo turned back to Martha and Jack.

"They were having sex on my car!" he yelled at them, even though they had seen it for themselves.

"Well, it was only pretend sex apparently so maybe it doesn't count," Martha told him.


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter Fifty-Eight**

Charlie and Joey arrived home still giggling. Inside, Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey.

"You are so bad, Joey Collins!" she laughed.

They kissed, letting their tongues explore.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I hope you really didn't object," Joey said worriedly.

"I would have said if I did," Charlie assured her.

They kissed again.

"Joey, I really do love you. You know that, right?"

"I know," Joey replied, but her voice sounded tight.

Charlie felt worried. It was the same worry that had stuck with her for most of the evening.

"What's been wrong?" she asked.

"Just Hugo and everything," Joey said vaguely.

She slipped out of Charlie's grasp and began to make two cups of tea before bed. Charlie watched her concentrate, observing that they were both suddenly tense again.

"He's not right, Joey."

"I know."

"Do you?"

Joey turned around to face her looking nervous.

"Could you just promise me something?" Joey asked.

"Sure."

"I know you don't think he's right and I hope he isn't but if one day you decide that you… that you…"

She fought tears.

"I can't even say it. How embarrassing is that?"

She tried to laugh. It got stuck in her throat. Charlie reached out to her.

"What is it?"

"Charlie, I'm not an idiot," Joey said sadly. "I know that we're a crazy match. I mean, you're… you're so amazing. You have everything going for you. And I was always just a bad kid from a lousy family. I'm not well educated, I don't have the career plans that you have; your Dad hates me! I know I'll never be good enough for you. And I'm scared that one day you'll realise it. And there'll be nothing I can do because I can't change who I am or what I've done with my life. And the stuff Hugo's come out with the last couple of days, well it's just made me panic more because I thought that the one thing that might seal us was our emotional connection and the fun we have together. But what if… what if the love isn't enough? And what if you get bored of me? If you were gay you would have admitted it by now and you haven't. You can't cope with dealing with what you might be. What if one day I'm not enough for you?"

"Joey, that's not going to happen. None of that is going to happen," Charlie said firmly. "Where we come from and whether we have the same level of education or not is irrelevant. It just doesn't matter. And okay, I don't know what I am and I do seem to have a knee-jerk reaction to labelling myself but that's a social thing and probably some deep rooted issue with me. It's not about you and it's certainly not about my commitment to you. Joey, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am never going to want anyone else. Why would I?"

"You don't think there's something missing?"

"Are you kidding?" Charlie asked. "The only time there hasn't been something missing in that department… in every department when I've been in a relationship, is when I fell in love with you."

Joey smiled.

"You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, Joey. I am never ever going to let you go."

They held each other close. Charlie kissed Joey's cheek.

"I'm sorry for getting so paranoid," Joey said. "It's just that sometimes I can hardly believe that you're really mine."

"Believe it," Charlie told her.

She let her lips find Joey's, caressing them softly. Nudging Joey against the kitchen counter, their kiss developed. They pulled away only when they heard the kettle boil. Joey turned to make the tea. Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey's waist from behind, restricting her movements slightly. Joey didn't mind.

"I'm not so perfect, Joey," Charlie whispered. "I wish I was the amazing person you seem to think I am but I'm not. I've made mistakes that I can't even bring myself to talk about."

"Not even with me?" Joey asked meekly.

Charlie sighed and nuzzled into Joey's neck.

"Eventually with you."

Joey reached up and stroked Charlie's hair. That was good enough for now. She wasn't going to push. Having finished making their drinks, she turned around in Charlie's arms.

"So, we're okay?" she asked.

"As far as I'm concerned, we are," Charlie said. "So it's up to you to answer the question really."

Joey smiled.

"We're okay," she confirmed.


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter Fifty-Nine**

One week later, Charlie and Joey had become inseparable again. At work, Charlie ignored Davina and ensured that she was always around to back Watson up whenever she could. She tried not to reject Angelo. He had always been a good friend to her, but her loyalties felt divided and it was hard to spend time with the boyfriend of a girl she couldn't stand who had treated a friend and colleague so badly. They had both treated Watson badly and Charlie didn't feel it was easily forgivable. Around the Bay, both Charlie and Joey avoided Hugo like the plague. They couldn't stand him. The only other thing concerning Charlie was that Ruby was behaving very strangely. She was jumpy and irritable and clearly had something on her mind that she couldn't seem to talk about. Arriving home from work, Charlie found Leah in the kitchen.

"Oh, hi, Charlie," Leah greeted. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good," Charlie said, nodding and throwing herself into a chair. "Glad to be home. Have you seen Ruby today?"

"She came to the Diner at lunch time. She's still not herself. I'm worried about her."

"Me too," Charlie sighed. "I can't get her to talk to me. She won't talk to Joey either. And she always talks to Joey."

"I don't understand what's up with her. She was fine and she just seemed to change last week," Leah said, shaking her head.

Ruby was always such a happy girl. Now it seemed like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Charlie couldn't bear it. If her sister was suffering, she needed to be a part of it. She needed to help her.

"How are things in the world of Joey and Hugo and all that chaos now, by the way?" Leah asked.

"We're avoiding Hugo and Davina," Charlie told her. "Joey's doing her best to behave herself."

"And you two are okay?"

"We're perfect," Charlie beamed. "Actually, I've been trying to think of some way that I can show her how I feel about her."

"Like what?" Leah asked curiously.

She had always been a sucker for romance.

"I don't know," Charlie said. "I want to make some kind of gesture, you know? I want to show her how much I love her, that I want to be with her always."

"Well, you know what the obvious gesture there is!" Leah said, raising her eyebrows.

Proposing was certainly something that Charlie had considered. But she was afraid of scaring Joey away. They hadn't really been seeing each other for that long, although she had read that in the lesbian world it was a lifetime. Apparently girls moved in together on the second date. Nearly three months was exceptional not to have bought cats according to the lesbian lifestyle book she had bought and hidden in a drawer for fear of Joey laughing at her.

"I've thought about it," Charlie admitted.

"Really?" Leah asked excitedly.

"But what if she says no?"

"I doubt that will happen."

"But it's really soon. And she's never done proper relationships and stuff. This is one of the longest times she's ever lived in the same town. Wouldn't marriage, even our version of it, be the epitome of commitment and settling down? Wouldn't it scare her?"

"Charlie, with the way Joey feels about you, I seriously doubt it."

***

"What is wrong with you?" Xavier pleaded.

Ruby had snapped at him for what felt like the millionth time on their way home from school.

"Nothing!" Ruby yelled. "Nothing is wrong with me. Just stop asking!"

***

Joey held the locket in her hands, admiring it.

"It is so beautiful," she said.

She handed it back to Aden who carefully put it away in its box.

"Do you really think she'll like it?" he asked. "Nicole helped me pick it out."

The two friends were serving behind the bar and Aden had excitedly showed Joey the gift that he had spent a ridiculous amount of money on buying for Belle.

"She'll love it," Joey said confidently.

"What are you guys gushing over?" Charlie asked, appearing behind them.

Joey jumped in surprise. She hadn't noticed her girlfriend enter the bar. She leant over for a sneaky kiss, knowing she had to watch her behaviour and had been forced to ever since Alf had heard about her punching Hugo and throwing a drink over Davina. It did not look good for staff to behave that way. Aden presented the locket, explaining that he'd bought it for Belle to show her how much he loved her.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Joey swooned. "It's such a lovely gesture."

Charlie smiled, thinking that Joey was adorable for getting so carried away with a gift that wasn't even for her. Watching her, Charlie made up her mind.

***

The following day, while Joey was at work and Ruby was at school, Charlie managed to get the afternoon off. She and Leah drove out into town to go jewellery hunting.


	60. Chapter 60

_Inclusion of the ring buying process especially for Broken87. Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Sixty**

Charlie was nervous as she and Joey stepped up to the boat the following evening. It had been a nerve-wracking day from start to finish. Joey had been curiously questioning her for the past two hours, wanting to know why she was being so sneaky and secretive. Charlie had been planning their night ever since she and Leah had headed out to the jewellery shop. They had spent over an hour in there examining all the rings, with a stolen ring from Joey's jewellery box to get the correct size. There had been so many choices that Charlie had got very confused and pleaded with Leah to make the decision for her. Leah had then pointed out that Charlie knew Joey better than she did and that when she saw the perfect ring, she would know. So Charlie had started at one end of the shop and worked her way through. Then she'd seen it, shining so much brighter than all the others with its diamonds and white gold band. It wasn't dainty. She didn't think dainty would suit Joey's strong hands but it was pretty and Charlie just hoped that it would make Joey happy. She'd been physically shaking when she'd asked to see it better. So many thoughts raced through her mind about whether Joey would want what she wanted, whether she would accept the ring and whether they really would go ahead with this. If Joey chose to accept it as an engagement ring, like Charlie hoped, she couldn't help jetting her mind forward into the future, wondering what their wedding would be like. As she'd held the ring in her hand though, she'd known it was the right thing, as much as a big step it seemed. She'd had to pay across two credit cards that she figured she'd be paying off for the rest of her life and wondered whether she'd even be able to afford a wedding now that she'd bought the ring. But she relaxed on the way home, her fear turning into excitement as she and Leah planned how she was going to do it. Leah had offered to cook a romantic meal, including a starter and dessert for them for free. Leah was so excited about Charlie's plan, pleased that the girl who never committed was suddenly so desperately in love. The two of them, with help from Irene and under the suspicious gaze of Colleen, had taken the food over from the Diner to Alf's boat together and set up the table with candles and wine. Leah and Irene had begged Colleen to keep her mouth shut, explaining that it was a surprise for Joey and she had reluctantly agreed, although staying quiet wasn't exactly in her nature. Reluctantly, Charlie had told Joey to get dressed up but refused to tell her where they were going. Finally, at the edge of the dock, Charlie lifted her hands from Joey's eyes so she could see. Joey gasped and turned to face Charlie, beaming. She flung her arms around her.

"Charlie!" she exclaimed. "What's all this for?"

"I just wanted to do something nice for you," Charlie said, slipping her arms around her waist. "I wanted to show you how much I love you."

Joey kissed her and they stepped onto the boat, holding hands. Charlie pulled Joey's chair out and lit the candles. She turned the love songs CD she'd brought out with her, on so that it could play softly in the background and then she opened a bottle of red wine, pouring a glass first for Joey and then for herself.

***

Leah's starter had been as wonderful as expected and the company of course, had been exquisite.

"So, seriously, what's all this in aid of?" Joey asked, sipping her wine and gazing at her girlfriend.

They had moved onto the main course and so far it was shaping up to be the perfect night.

"I just thought with everything that's happened lately, we should take some time to show each other what we really mean to each other," Charlie explained.

She lifted Joey's hand and kissed it. Turning it over, she kissed Joey's palm. Joey felt a rush of warmth flood her. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world. All her life she had been alone. She had never believed she would ever be in a position to be close like this with another person. She honestly didn't think anything could part them.

***

"So, what's for dessert?" Joey asked curiously, hoping it might somehow involve Charlie's body.

Catching her look, Charlie shook her head.

"Nope," she said. "We have to behave until afterwards."

Joey pouted.

"But I never behave," she protested.

"Good to know you're finally admitting it," Charlie laughed.

She began to get up to clear the dinner plates away and get dessert from the cooler but Joey was on her feet and then in her lap too quickly. With Joey straddling her, Charlie felt her resolve begin to fall apart, even though she knew how important it was. They kissed and Joey tangled her hands in Charlie's hair.

"I love you, Joey," Charlie breathed.

"I love you too," Joey replied sincerely.

Charlie stood with Joey wrapped around her hips and carried her across the deck onto the blankets and cushions she had set up at the front of the boat once Leah and Irene had departed. She lay Joey down on her back and kissed her, stroking her hip and enjoying her responses.

"Shall I go and get dessert?" she asked.

Joey nodded and lay back against the pillows, watching Charlie go. Moments later, Charlie came back with strawberries and cream. Joey instantly paid attention. Charlie put everything to one side and then sat down beside Joey, holding both her hands.

"Joey, you really mean so much to me," Charlie ventured nervously.

Joey immediately stopped peering at the strawberries and focussed on Charlie who looked so serious.

"The first time we met, even though technically it was just a one night thing, you captured my heart in a way I can't explain. There was just something so incredible about you, something intoxicating but I let my fears get in the way. Then life was kind enough to bring us together again and I still let you go. Now for the third time, I know exactly what I want and exactly how I feel. You mean more to me than anything, Joey and I couldn't imagine having to live my life without you in it."

Joey gazed at Charlie, fascinated and moved by her words. This had to go down as one of the most romantic nights in history. Charlie swallowed and fidgeted.

"I know you've never been one to settle and I don't want to frighten you away or anything," Charlie said, her voice becoming slightly higher.

She chewed her lip as Joey gazed at her more intently.

"I wanted you to have this," Charlie said.

She reached behind her and presented Joey with a small jewellery box. She opened it and offered it up to Joey who looked inside and saw a ring sitting happily on the cushion. Charlie had chosen an eighteen carat white gold ring with three substantial diamonds in the middle, the middle one larger than the other two. Speechless, Joey just looked between the ring and Charlie's face for several moments.

"It can mean whatever you want it to mean," Charlie explained. "It can be me telling you that I love you and want to always be with you or… or it could mean…"

She trailed off, barely able to contain her fear of rejection.

"A proposal?" Joey asked carefully, hoping she wasn't jumping the gun.

Charlie nodded.

"If you want it to be," she said. "I know it wouldn't be legally binding or anything but we could still have a ceremony. We could still publicly declare how we feel about each other."

"I'd really like that," Joey said.

She could hardly believe that she was accepting a marriage proposal. The girl who would never settle down had now moved in with a woman and was preparing to pledge her life to her.

"And, well, I made a will when I joined the force because of the dangers of the job and everything and I want to go and change it," Charlie continued, still feeling tense.

"I want you to be in it as my partner. If that's okay."

"Well, I… I mean, it's obviously not something I like thinking about but I'm touched that you'd think to include me," Joey said softly, her mind still reeling. "I don't have one. I don't have anything to leave. But anything I do have is yours. You can have my ipod!"

The both giggled.

"So, Joey Collins, will you marry me?" she asked politely.

"Of course I will," Joey replied.

Charlie took the ring out of its box and shakily slipped it onto Joey's finger and they kissed under the moonlight.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter Sixty-One**

"Well?" Leah said expectantly, bouncing up and down the moment she saw Charlie and Joey arrive home.

Joey was wearing the ring. They broke out into smiles.

"We're engaged!" Charlie announced.

Leah cheered and launched herself into a group hug. Ruby hovered in the background uncertainly. She had been in a strange mood all evening. Charlie looked at her sister, hoping for at least some kind of reaction.

"Congratulations," Ruby said.

She was pleased for Charlie and Joey but she had too much on her mind to get carried away with the idea. She felt bad about it. Moving forward, she hugged Charlie and then Joey, taking her hand to admire the ring. Despite her stress, she was impressed.

"Wow! This must have cost your annual wage!" she said.

"Ssh!" Charlie hissed.

The ring had set her back far too much but she didn't want Joey to have even the merest concept of cost. She just wanted her to like the ring and be happy. Joey considered the price worriedly yet again. She was so touched by the gesture but she hoped Charlie knew it wasn't about the money. She hoped she knew she would have been happy with the cheapest ring in the world. It was the sentiment that counted and tonight had been full to the brim with that.

"I'm really happy for you guys," Ruby said.

She meant it. She was thrilled for them, although both sisters knew their father probably wouldn't be. It was just hard to clear her head enough to express how she felt about Charlie finally falling in love for real.

"Thanks, Rubes," Charlie said, although she hadn't failed to notice her sister's sadness.

Charlie and Joey exchanged a look.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," Ruby said.

She hugged her sister, her future sister-in-law and Leah goodnight and then disappeared to her room. Charlie and Joey looked worriedly at Leah.

"She's been quiet all evening," their housemate said.

Charlie sighed. Her concern for Ruby was increasing by the minute.

"But try not to worry about it now," Leah suggested. "You guys have so much to be happy about. When's the party?"

"Party?" Joey asked, confused.

"You have to have an engagement party!" Leah exclaimed. "And have you guys set a date?"

"Give us a chance!" Charlie laughed.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance with the date but you have to have an engagement party soon. You need to announce it properly!"

"We'll have a party date for you tomorrow," Joey promised.

***

The following morning, Charlie and Joey were lying in bed with cups of coffee in their diaries, attempting to find a day for the party that Leah insisted they have. They settled for a small event at the house on Friday night.

"So who shall we invite?" Charlie asked.

"Not Hugo," Joey said firmly.

"As if that was even a question!" Charlie said, shaking her head. "Martha and Jack though."

"And Ruby will want Xavier there," Joey mused.

She and Charlie had stayed up well into the night, firstly celebrating their engagement and then talking about Ruby, as they tried to figure out what was wrong with her. They mused over the possibility of her and Xavier having had a fight but normally Ruby would mention that kind of thing. She'd never made a secret of her issues in the past. It was worrying that she was hiding something now. Charlie had finished the night fretting about whether it was something to do with Geoff and Annie not accepting her and Joey. She wondered if anyone was giving Ruby a hard time about having a sister in a lesbian relationship and then she'd felt terribly guilty.

"Yeah," Charlie said.

Every time she thought about the girl, she felt sad and helpless.

"Let's talk to her today, okay?" Joey said. "We'll get it out of her and whatever's wrong, we can help her fix it."

Charlie nodded and focussed back on the guest list.

***

Charlie braced herself to go and see her father and Morag to tell them about the engagement. Gripping Joey's hand, she knocked on the door. Ross opened up and welcomed them inside. He greeted Charlie with affection and Joey with less so but he was at least polite. Morag was as happy to see one as she was the other. She didn't speak about it often with Ross because it only caused friction but if she was being really honest, she preferred Charlie now that she was with Joey than she had before. It was no secret that Charlie and Morag hadn't been able to stand each other at first and they had rowed constantly. It was only by the time that Morag and Ross had got married that Charlie had settled down. She felt that Ross was betraying her mother's memory by being with her, especially so soon after their mother had died. When Charlie had arrived in the Bay, she had been uptight and unpleasant. Now, she was mellow and happy all the time. Even when she'd been beaten within an inch of her life, she'd stayed positive and humorous. Joey was a fun girl and she brought out the best in Charlie. That much was completely obvious.

"Lunch is ready if you'd like to come and sit," she said brightly.

The other three followed her into the kitchen.

"So, how are things?" Ross asked his daughter. "Any news?"

Charlie and Joey glanced at each other nervously. Morag was instantly suspicious. Her eyes immediately honed in on the very expensive ring of Joey's finger.

"Actually, we do have some news," Charlie said, shifting in her seat and playing with her fork.

Morag smiled, knowing exactly what was to come.

"Oh?" Ross said.

He hadn't noticed the ring.

"We're getting married!"

Charlie's face lit up as she said the words and Joey couldn't stop smiling every time she heard her say it.

"Congratulations!" Morag beamed.

Charlie's smile froze on her face as she waited for her Dad to respond. He put his fork down loudly and looked between Charlie and Joey.

"How can you get married?" he asked quickly. "I mean, that's not even legal!"

"We're going to have a blessing of our relationship," Charlie explained. "We'll have a ceremony and a reception and everything, make it as much like a traditional wedding as possible."

"Except for the fact that you're two girls," Ross spat.

He could just about get his head around them being a couple for now but the idea of them being together forever was awful.

"Well, obviously except for that but…"

"And who'll be the man?" Ross asked. "Will one of you wear a tux and one wear a dress?"

He gave Joey a dirty look.

"Neither of us will be the man, Sir," Joey said quietly. "As you've pointed out, we're both women."

"How… how did this even happen?" Ross asked.

"I proposed and Joey said yes," Charlie said tensely.

If her father wasn't going to be happy for them then he just wouldn't be invited. It was simple really. Ross looked at Joey's hand and his eyes bulged.

"And how many thousands did that set you back, Charlie?" he demanded.

"I don't think it's appropriate to talk about the cost of the ring right now," Morag warned.

Charlie was grateful.

"You've wasted all this money on this farce!" Ross said angrily, rising from the table. "I can't believe you've been so stupid, Charlie. All of this is a waste of time and energy! She's not good for you! When are you going to realise that?"

"When are you going to realise that I'm in love with her?" Charlie demanded, also getting to her feet.

Joey felt awkward. She looked helplessly at Morag.

"Joey and I are staying together, Dad. We love each other and we're getting married whether you like it or not."

She took Joey's hand and half-dragged her to the front door.

***

"I hate him!" Charlie ranted.

She had been shouting for the entire car journey and Joey had been listening quietly from the passenger seat.

"I actually hate him!"

Now it was time for her to speak up.

"No you don't," she said.

"No, I don't. I love him. He hates me."

"No, he doesn't."

Charlie parked up outside the house, turned the engine off and rubbed her temples. She turned to face Joey.

"Then why can't he even try and be happy for us?" she asked sadly.

"I don't know," Joey said, equally as sadly.

She could feel herself piling on the responsibility. If only Charlie hadn't fallen in love with her then she'd be off and in love with some guy, someone that Ross approved of. Then Charlie wouldn't be suffering like this.

"Don't even try and blame yourself," Charlie warned, reading her thoughts.

Joey chewed her lip and squeezed Charlie's hand. They climbed out of the car and headed towards the house. Charlie began ranting again.

"I just can't believe what a jerk he's being," she said.

She stopped abruptly when she saw Ruby sobbing on the sofa, surrounded by used tissues. Joey bumped into her back.

"Ruby!" they exclaimed together, rushing forward.

Ruby looked up tearfully. Charlie sat beside her. Ruby collapsed into her arms.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Charlie asked, rubbing her sister's back.

Ruby just sobbed. Joey hovered awkwardly. She didn't want to intrude on a private moment.

"It's…"

She began sobbing again.

"Do you want me to go?" Joey asked quietly.

Both Buckton girls looked up at her. Ruby shook her head.

"No, you need to hear this too," she said.

She pulled away from Charlie and they made room for Joey on the couch. Ruby took a breath and looked Charlie directly in the eye.

"I'm pregnant," she said.


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter Sixty-Two**

Ruby sat staring at Charlie and Joey uncertainly as she waited for a reaction. Charlie just stared back, her mouth hanging open.

"How did… I mean, I know howbut… _how_?" Charlie eventually asked.

She reached down beside her and gripped Joey's hand tightly.

"Well…"

"I didn't even think you were… How long have you been…?"

Charlie was finding it impossible to finish sentences.

"I'm not. It was just… just once," Ruby said.

"When?"

"When you guys were away."

Charlie sighed, thinking that she would never leave Ruby alone ever again. Thousands of thoughts charged through her mind, unwelcome confusing ones blanketed with such a vast range of emotions that she hardly knew how to respond. She kept hold of Joey's hand.

"I'm sorry," Ruby said. "It wasn't planned."

"You're fifteen, Ruby!" Charlie said desperately. "You shouldn't have even been thinking about this yet. You…"

Ruby dissolved into tears again.

"Charlie, whether she should have done it or not isn't what's important now," Joey said softly. "We need to deal with the situation, not sit here and wish we could go back and change it."

Charlie nodded. She observed her sobbing sister and let go of Joey's hand in order to gather Ruby into her arms. Ruby cried even harder as Charlie tried to soothe her pain.

"It's alright, Rubes," she said gently. "Everything's going to fine. You're not alone. Joey and I, we're here for you a thousand per cent of the way, okay?"

"I'm so sorry," Ruby cried into Charlie's shoulder.

"It doesn't matter now. There's no need to be sorry. It's okay. Everything's okay."

***

Joey made cups of tea for all three of them and she, Charlie and Ruby sat down together to talk things through.

"Okay, so the obvious question is, do you have any idea about what you want to do?" Charlie asked, trying not to sound too confrontational.

Her mind was spinning. She hadn't seen this coming. Ruby shook her head.

"I haven't even thought through the options," she admitted. "All I've been thinking these last few days is 'I'm pregnant' over and over again. I hadn't thought any further than how I was going to tell you."

Charlie nodded and chewed her lip.

"Well, you could keep it," she ventured. "Or you could um… go to a clinic."

"I can't get rid of it," Ruby said. "It's my mistake. It was me and Xavier being stupid and not being careful like you always insisted I had to be when you did the embarrassing and apparently pointless sex talk."

She let her head rest against her palms.

"I can't get rid of it but I don't know how I can keep it either," she sighed.

"Well, there's another option," Charlie said tightly.

Ruby looked up at her.

"Adoption," Charlie said, her voice catching.

"Carry the baby and then give it away?" Ruby asked. "I don't know if I could do that either."

Charlie swigged her tea, even though it was still too hot.

"Well, you don't need to decide right this minute," Joey said gently.

She reached for Ruby's hand. Ruby accepted it gratefully.

"You've only just found out. You've got time to work it through, sort your thoughts."

"Are you a hundred per cent sure?" Charlie asked Ruby.

"I took five tests," her sister replied unhappily.

"Okay, well, we need to take you to the doctor anyway, alright? Take the morning off school and we'll get you an appointment."

Ruby agreed reluctantly.

"Have you told Xavier?" Joey asked.

"No. I haven't told anyone. I needed to talk to you two first."

***

That night, Joey straddled Charlie who was lying on her front in bed. To work out Charlie's stress and tension, Joey had offered her a massage, complete with sensual oils and candlelight. Charlie rested her head on her pillow, enjoying the feel of Joey working out the knots in her body. But her mind was still running at a mile a minute and it was giving her a headache. She felt responsible for letting Ruby get pregnant when she should have been looking after her. Their mother would be so disappointed in both of them. She couldn't even bear to think about her father. He would be furious when he found out. Then both of his daughters would be in disgrace. She sighed heavily and fought tears. The situation was tearing at her heart. Joey stopped massaging and moved to lie alongside her. She brushed her hair out of Charlie's face and attempted to peek in at her. Charlie's eyes were tightly shut but she could see a pool of tears forming on the pillow. She reached around and pulled Charlie's unresponsive body into her arms, letting her sob.

***

The following morning, Charlie took Ruby to see the doctor. Ruby pulled on Charlie's hand when her name was called, pleading her to come into the appointment too. In the surgery, Ruby explained the situation, with a little help from Charlie. The doctor did a pregnancy test for her. While they waited, they discussed the options that had been suggested the night before. Ruby had hardly slept and the more she thought about it, the more she knew that she couldn't have an abortion or go for an adoption. It was badly timed and it would severely alter all her future plans but she silently decided to keep the baby. The tests confirmed that she was indeed just over two weeks pregnant. Charlie and Ruby left the doctors' surgery hand in hand with a bunch of leaflets stuffed in Charlie's bag.

"I'm going to keep it," Ruby told her sister when they were in the car.

Charlie couldn't help but think she had the bravest sister in the world.

"We'll be there to support you all the way," Charlie promised.

***

That evening, Joey helped Ruby prepare dinner for Xavier and then she and Charlie hung out in their bedroom so that they could be on hand in case things didn't go well when Ruby told him about the baby. Joey hated to see the look of misery on Charlie's face. She had been so quiet since Ruby had told them the news. It seemed like she had got lost in her own thoughts somehow and it felt hard to reach her. She let herself into the room and gazed at Charlie lying motionless on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Joey lay down beside her, cuddling close.

"What's going on in there?" Joey asked.

"How would I know?" Charlie replied.

"I mean in here," Joey said, softly tapping Charlie's head.

Charlie closed her eyes.

"I just can't believe she's pregnant," she said. "She's fifteen and now she's got to grow up in the space of nine months because she's having a baby."

"I guess she had to grow up sometime," Joey said. "I just wish it didn't have to be like this."

"What's life going to be like for her with a baby?" Charlie asked tearfully. "How's she going to go through all of the pregnancy stuff and the labour? The labour, it's going to hurt her! She's my baby sister and she's going to be in pain and I won't be able to protect her. Why didn't I protect her?"

"Charlie…" Joey said tenderly. "You need to stop thinking this is your fault. Rightly or wrongly, Ruby and Xavier made the decision to have unprotected sex. Even if you'd been here, you couldn't have stopped them. You can't control what she does."

"But I'm meant to look after her," Charlie said. "I promised Mum that I'd always look after her and I've failed. Again. Why do I always mess everything up?"

She turned and buried her face in Joey's chest, clutching her tightly as she sobbed.

"Charlie, you haven't messed up," Joey insisted. "You haven't failed. I swear to you, you haven't done anything wrong. I don't understand why you're so distressed about this."

Charlie just cried, wondering what was going on in the living room. Joey's lips found Charlie's wishing that she could find some way to comfort her. They kissed tenderly.

"Are you too sad for that lap dance?" Joey offered.

Charlie laughed.

"I actually am," Charlie realised. "Now that's depressing."

"Tell me when you're feeling better and it's yours," Joey promised, kissing her again.

"I love you, Charlie."

"I love you too. You have no idea how much."

Joey looked at her engagement ring fondly.

"I think you've given me a couple of clues."

***

Ruby broke down before Xavier had even left. Charlie and Joey hurried out of their room the moment they heard the door slam and Ruby wailing. Charlie pulled Ruby into her arms.

"He wants me to have a termination," she cried. "He doesn't want the baby."

Joey closed her eyes and leant on the back of the sofa. The last thing Ruby needed was for her boyfriend to reject her. They had created this baby together. They should deal with it together.

"I told him to get out and that I didn't need him because you and Joey were going to help me raise it," Ruby sobbed.

She looked up at her sister.

"You will, won't you?" she asked. "You haven't changed your mind?"

Charlie struggled to find the words for a moment.

"Of course we will," she said gently. "We're all in this together."

***

Three days had passed in a strange kind of blur. Ruby was slowly getting used to the idea of being pregnant, although she hadn't told any of her friends yet. She and Xavier hadn't spoken. If he didn't want the baby then he couldn't have her either. Charlie had been wandering around with a vacant expression on her face, only coming to life when she needed to be there to look after Ruby and reassure her. Joey had been doing everything she could to support them. Both Charlie and Joey were grateful they'd never announced the engagement party so they didn't have to cancel it. They had more important things to deal with right now. Leah didn't know what was going on but she knew something was up so she didn't push about the party. Now, Charlie and Ruby sat with their father as he stared at them, his mouth hanging open.

"How could you be so stupid, Ruby?" he finally blurted out. "I mean, didn't Charlie teach you about safe sex?"

He turned to his eldest daughter.

"Didn't you teach her anything?" he asked.

"I did!" Charlie protested. "I did. I thought…"

"It's not Charlie's fault, Dad. She wasn't even here. She was staying up at the farm when it happened."

"And you're only fifteen. How old is the boy?"

"Sixteen."

"You know I could send Charlie round there right now to arrest him?"

"Dad! You wouldn't! Charlie…"

"Nobody's arresting anybody," Charlie said quickly.

"I just… how could this happen?"

He looked once more at Charlie, anger blazing in his eyes. She should have known it would turn out to be her fault. Everything was and always had been her fault.

"How could you let this happen?"

***

Half an hour later, Ross's ranting had got far too intense and Ruby had hurried out to sit in the car while Charlie tried to calm her father down. Finally, she was able to escape. He saw her to the door, peering out at Ruby who was leaning back against the headrest of the passenger seat with her eyes closed. Just as Charlie was about to leave, Ross grabbed her arm.

"Don't let this give you any ideas, Charlie," he warned.

She swallowed and didn't reply.

"The past stays buried," he told her.

She headed to the car to rescue Ruby.

***

Joey felt frustrated. Charlie had been distracted all evening yet again. She wanted to be patient and understanding but she had to admit that she was surprised by just how badly Charlie was taking Ruby's news.

"I'm going to bed," she announced, getting up off the sofa.

She headed to the bedroom. Charlie watched her go, feeling bad that she'd been so silent yet again. She switched the television off and followed her, finding her getting changed in the bedroom. She wrapped her arms around Joey and kissed her shoulder. Joey turned round in her arms. Charlie looked over her bra and jeans clad body appreciatively. Joey smiled. This was the Charlie she was used to.

"I'm sorry I've been so sullen," Charlie apologised.

"It's alright," Joey replied. "I know it's been a hard few days. I just miss you, that's all."

"It's just all this baby talk and Ruby growing up and…"

She sank down onto the bed and looked up at Joey.

"Joey, I want us to have a baby together," she said.


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter Sixty-Three**

Joey stared at Charlie with her mouth open.

"I… um…" she faltered. "What?"

"I want to have a baby," Charlie said sincerely. "What do you think?"

"I… well… I…."

Joey's mind was racing. This was the last thing she had expected Charlie to come out with.

"I… I don't want a baby," she said softly.

Charlie dropped her arms and sat down on the bed. Joey didn't think she had ever seen Charlie look so heartbroken in all her life.

"You mean you don't want to have a baby with me," Charlie accused quietly.

"What? No, it's not that at all," Joey insisted, sinking to her knees in front of her.

Charlie was hiding behind a curtain of hair. Joey tried desperately to look into her face.

"I just… I've never wanted kids," Joey explained. "I didn't realise that you did. I guess we should have talked about that."

She straightened her back and pushed Charlie's hair out of her face, pleading with her to look up. Charlie's eyes revealed so much grief; Joey hated herself for being the cause of it.

"You don't think you'll ever want a family with me?" Charlie asked.

Joey didn't like her answer. She didn't want to say it.

"No," she said quietly. "I'm sorry, Charlie."

Tears began to fall from Charlie's eyes. Joey thought her heart was about to snap in two. Charlie quickly brushed her tears away, plastered a smile on her face and stood up. She hurried to her pillow to get her pyjamas out.

"That's fine," she said brightly. "It was just an idea. It doesn't matter."

Joey knew that she was lying.

"Charlie…" she said.

"It's fine," Charlie insisted. "It's not an issue."

"Well, obviously it is," Joey said awkwardly. "I mean, if you want kids and I don't."

"It was just an idea. It's not important."

"But you got so upset."

"I'm upset anyway because of Ruby and everything. I'm just overemotional right now."

She stripped off and redressed quickly. Standing in her bra and jeans, Joey stood motionless, staring at her.

"Is that what this is about?" she asked. "Because of Ruby?"

"I don't know," Charlie shrugged. "It's not important now. You don't want one; we won't have one."

Joey felt guilty.

"I wish I felt differently," she offered.

"Me too," Charlie said sadly.

She sat on the edge of the bed. Joey came to sit beside her.

"Don't you think we'll have enough on our hands anyway?" Joey asked. "We get to be aunts and Ruby's going to need so much support. We can have a baby without actually having one. We can take care of it with her. You know, we'll end up getting up with it in the night, changing it, feeding it… Would that be enough?"

Charlie didn't reply.

"Or we could get a dog!" Joey said, trying to be cheerful. "Or actually no, we're in a lesbian relationship, it really ought to be cats. And we could take care of them, have surrogate babies."

Charlie tried to laugh but only more tears came out.

"It's not enough, is it?" Joey realised.

"No," Charlie admitted.

Silence fell between them.

"Why the sudden need for a child now?" Joey asked. "You've never mentioned wanting kids before."

"It just feels like the right time," Charlie said. "Don't you think?"

"I'm sorry but I don't. I don't think there'll ever be a right time. I've really never wanted children."

"Never ever?" Charlie asked, knowing the answer.

"I'm so sorry, Charlie."

And she was. There was nothing more that she wanted right now than to change her feelings to make her girlfriend happy but it was impossible.

"Why is this so important to you?" Joey asked, hoping that Charlie might be able to convince her somehow.

She doubted it though.

"I want to be a Mum," Charlie said. "I want to bring a baby into this world and take care of it. I want to give it unconditional love and a good life. I want to make up for every mistake and every stupid decision I've made by doing something worthwhile with my life and I don't think there's anything more worthwhile than this."

It was almost enough but not quite. Charlie gazed into Joey's eyes.

"Why don't you want one?" she asked.

Joey looked away, unsure of what to say. Her reasoning was firm but difficult to express.

"Because I'd be a terrible parent," she said finally.

"No you wouldn't!" Charlie exclaimed. "You'd be amazing. I mean, you're awesome with VJ and you're always helping me mother Ruby…"

"It's not the same," Joey insisted. "Charlie, I… I don't even know what a parent is."

A lump began to ache in her throat.

"The idea of being responsible for shaping and guiding a little, tiny person? It's terrifying. I don't want that kind of responsibility. I'll mess it up. I wouldn't know what to do. I have no concept of parents and family and all that that's supposed to mean. I come from a wonderful but weak mother who never once managed to protect me from the world and a father who beat the shit out of me from the age of six. He bullied me, beat me, burnt my stuff! I was interviewed so many times by social services that I lost count. Someone like me can't raise a family. I can't be a parent if I don't know what they're meant to do," Joey explained.

"Joey, you'd learn all of that. Nobody knows how to be a parent until they get there."

"I can't bear the thought of messing up a kid's life. Our families, they shape us into who we're going to become. So many issues that people have with themselves and their lives come from their childhood. I can't be a person of influence in a child's life, Charlie. I can't do it."

She cursed herself for becoming tearful.

"And what if…?"

She trailed off, not wanting to complete her train of thought. Charlie urged her on.

"What if I'm like them?" she asked fearfully.

"Like your parents?"

"Yes. They're in my genes. They _are _my genes. What if I turn out exactly like them? What if I take everything I know about the concept of parenthood and use that on our kid? What if I take after my mother and our child constantly feels let down by me? What if I can't care for him or her the way I'm supposed to? What if I can't stand up for them, protect them and love them the way I'm meant to?"

"You will," Charlie said certainly.

"And if I turn out like my Dad, I'd want to kill myself."

"Joey, you're nothing like your Dad," Charlie protested.

"How do you know? I don't even know."

"You're not violent for starters."

"I punched Hugo in the face last week!"

"He deserved it!"

"What if I think the kid deserves it?" Joey challenged. "What if one day we have a daughter? She's six years old and she's playing in the living room, bumps into the table and spills my coffee all over some project I'm working on. What if I then decide that she's such a bad kid that I have to kick the shit out of her so badly that she has to take a week off school so that people don't ask questions?" Joey asked tearfully.

Charlie reached out to hold her, wanting to take her pain away.

"Yet again, I wish I was different, Charlie," Joey continued. "I wish I could be different for you, come from a different life but I don't. I can't have a baby with you. I can't risk that kind of responsibility. It's not the right thing to do. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Charlie said, crying just as hard as Joey.

She wanted a baby. She needed one. But if Joey felt so strongly then she couldn't try and force her. It wouldn't be fair. She hadn't realised how many issues Joey had with her past until this moment and she'd had no idea how hard it had really been. She knew her Dad and her brother had been violent and she knew that it was the police who had eventually rescued her and driven her to the bus stop so that she could move away and on with her life. But Joey had rarely described anything specific, especially not something from when she was so young. References had only really been to when she was older and stronger, able to ignore it and stand up for herself. She had always seemed so resilient to everything until now. This was a very different side to her.

"I'm sorry," Joey said again. "I really wish…"

"I know," Charlie said. "But I understand where you're coming from. I won't ask you to do it if it hurts you so much."

"But not having one is going to hurt you," Joey said worriedly.

"I'll get over it," Charlie said, although she didn't think she would.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Charlie lied. "And like you said, we'll have enough on her hands with Ruby and her baby."

She burst into tears again. Joey reached out to hold her. The two women clung to each other as if their lives depended on it.


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter Sixty-Four**

Charlie and Joey lay side by side, neither of them able to sleep and neither of them able to talk. Both just stared into the darkness feeling sad. Their individual pasts whirled around in their heads, causing their suffering and heartache to increase. It was already painful enough to realise that they both felt so differently and so strongly about something. Neither had seen it coming.

***

Charlie was miserable when she got to work the following morning. She was fearful that she was going to cry if someone so much as frowned at her.

"Hey," Angelo said gently.

She looked up at him and forced a smile. He waved a coffee at her and entered the office, setting the cup down on her desk.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I'm fine," she told him, not wanting to talk about it.

She didn't feel able. There was so much to say and yet she couldn't find the words. Things had been awkward between her and Joey that morning, although they tried to make the best of a bad situation. Charlie had shocked both Joey and herself by how much she wanted a child. Being a mother was a deep need in her that had stayed buried for a long time. She heard her father's warning in her head until it was ringing in her ears. The past had to stay buried according to him. She worried that it was impossible. Her heart was too broken up and she felt so alone. Instinctively, she wanted to reach out to Joey and tell her everything but she doubted she would find the words. Joey had poured her heart out last night, expressing rare sorrow and fear. It was unlike her and it had shaken both of them up. The last thing Charlie wanted to do now was put pressure on her. But it meant that there was double the pressure on herself.

***

"You're cheerful," Aden commented.

Joey didn't even hear him. She was lost in her own world of confusion and grief. Aden waved his hand in front of her face. She snapped to attention and apologised.

"What's up?" her friend asked.

"I can't even begin to tell you," she replied.

***

When she arrived home from work, Joey found Charlie and Ruby looked through a baby book, establishing what the baby would be like at this stage and what was to come during the pregnancy. She watched from a distance at how involved Charlie was.

"Hey, Joey," Ruby greeted, waving her over.

Joey anxiously came to sit beside Charlie who offered her a weak smile.

"My baby's not even the size of an apple seed yet," Ruby told her. "It's tiny, tiny, tiny!"

Joey smiled at her enthusiasm, pleased that she was coming round to the idea.

"But when it's four weeks," Ruby explained, "it'll have everything that's going to develop into limbs and organs and stuff. It'll really start forming then."

Joey nodded but kept her eyes on Charlie who seemed completely absorbed in the process of the baby. She could see through her mask. Charlie was in pain and it was Joey's fault. She sighed quietly, continuing to look through the book with Charlie and Ruby. She knew what she had to do.

***

As soon as they were alone, Joey took a breath.

"Charlie, I don't think we should be together anymore," she said sadly.

Charlie looked up sharply, shocked.

"What?" she asked.

Joey moved to sit on the sofa beside her, staying close and holding her hands.

"I love you so much but we want different things," Joey explained.

"Joey, we talked about this…" Charlie protested.

Her heart ached at the mere thought of losing Joey.

"I know. And I know you've said that you can live without having a baby but I don't think you can. Watching you with Ruby and going through that book along with everything you said last night… this is so important to you. I don't want to deprive you of a child, Charlie."

"So you're going to deprive me of you instead?" Charlie asked tearfully.

"I don't see what else we can do. It's breaking my heart but you want a baby and I really don't want one, for the reasons I explained last night. I think this is something too big to be incompatible on."

"But I love you."

"I love you too, Charlie. I can't even describe how much I love you and walking away is the hardest thing I've ever had to do but I think it's the right thing."

Tears streaked Joey's face and she clutched tightly at Charlie's fingers.

"How can it be the right thing when it hurts so much?"

"I guess life works that way sometimes."

She let Charlie go and got to her feet.

"So, you're just… leaving?" Charlie asked, standing up too.

"If I don't go now, I won't go," Joey told her.

"So don't go. Forget about all this baby stuff and stay," Charlie begged.

Joey rubbed her face, forcing her tears away.

"This baby stuff won't go away," she said certainly. "At every stage of Ruby's pregnancy, we're going to be reminded. At every stage of the baby's life, we're going to be reminded. And we're going to be sad."

"But…"

"If I stay, you'll end up hating me for not giving you what you want."

"I could never hate you."

"You'd be surprised," Joey said.

She could hardly believe that they were having this conversation. Of all the people and things she had walked away from in her life, leaving Charlie felt almost impossible. Charlie opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out.

"I will love you for the rest of my life," Joey told her.

They met in a hug, holding each other tightly as tears engulfed them. Joey lifted her head, letting her lips seek out Charlie's. They kissed tenderly and their tears mingled with each other. Drawing away, Charlie felt like she could hardly breathe. It all seemed so unreal. She could hardly believe that this was happening.

"I'd um… I'd better give you this back," Joey said.

She slipped her precious ring from her finger and pushed it into Charlie's hand. They both stared at it, signifying the end of their engagement. There would be no marriage. There would be no engagement party. There would be no future.

"Maybe you can take it back, get a refund or something," she suggested.

"No," Charlie said, handing it back to her. "I want you to keep it."

"Charlie…"

"Please?" Charlie asked. "I want you to have it."

They gazed into each other's eyes.

"Okay," Joey said, her voice catching. "I'm going to go and grab some overnight stuff and I'll come back for the rest of it when I have somewhere else to go if that's okay."

"Well no, it's not okay but if you have to leave me then it's only fair that you're allowed to take your stuff," Charlie said, crying harder.

Joey reluctantly let go of her and hurried into the bedroom, grabbing everything she thought she might need, although she had nowhere to go.

***

Five minutes later, Joey had sorted herself out. She emerged from the bedroom. Charlie leapt up from the sofa. They were both still crying.

"Where are you going to go?" Charlie asked.

Joey shrugged.

"Will you stay in the Bay?"

"For now."

"But you're going to leave town later?"

Charlie felt like her world was ending. She didn't know what would be harder, seeing Joey around all the time and not being able to be with her, or never seeing her again.

"I think so," Joey said. "I don't think either of us would move on if we were both here."

Charlie followed her to the door, kissing and hugging one last time. Their tears just wouldn't cease.

"I hope you get what you want, Charlie," Joey said. "I hope you have a lifetime of happiness with someone who deserves you, someone who can give you what you need. I wish… I wish it could be me."

In truth, the idea of Charlie moving on and being with someone new destroyed her. She definitely didn't want to be around to see it. Charlie couldn't speak as Joey turned around and left.

***

Joey found herself out in the night. She headed over to Watson's house, hoping that she would be home. She was.

"Joey, what are you doing here?" Watson asked.

"Can I please sleep on your couch?"

Joey burst into tears. Watson guided her and her stuff inside the house.

Charlie had been sitting on the sofa alone and in tears for hours.

"Charlie?" Ruby said when she got home from her evening at Annie's.

Charlie was unresponsive.

"Sis?"

Charlie looked up in despair. Ruby hurried over and wrapped her arms around her, asking what was wrong.

"We split up," Charlie wailed.

"What?" Ruby asked in alarm.

That didn't make sense at all. Charlie and Joey were inseparable. They had been since they got together. And they had been through so much together, including Charlie nearly being murdered. How could they have split up? What could possibly have broken them apart?

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"We realised that we wanted different things."

"But you were going to get married. You seemed so happy."

"I want a family and she doesn't," Charlie explained. "I was willing to sacrifice it but she said it would make me too unhappy and she couldn't bear to be the cause of it. So now she's left me and I think I'm more devastated to be without her than some imaginary children."

She collapsed in Ruby's arms. Ruby held her close, her mind reeling. She became convinced that the break up was her fault. If she hadn't got pregnant, the baby question wouldn't have come up. She was holding Charlie too tightly to be able to wipe her own tears away.

***

Joey lay on Watson's sofa, fidgety and restless. She didn't think she would manage to sleep. All that ran through her head was Charlie. She pictured her face and her body. She heard her voice and felt her touch. Her heart ached with a profound sense of loss. Lying in the dark, she wondered if there was any way she could make things different. She didn't want to leave Charlie. She didn't want to move away and on with her life. After all these years, she had finally found a home, a life and a woman that she loved. It didn't seem real that she was walking away now. She felt for her engagement ring. She'd put it on a chain around her neck, not quite ready to put it away yet. It felt like a way of keeping Charlie with her somehow. She felt like she would die without her. But her certainty that she couldn't be a parent was strong. She thought back to her own childhood. She'd been taught from a young age that she was no good and true to form, her behaviour had taken a turn for the worse when she was a teenager. There was nothing she could ever have done to please her Dad. It felt like he had hated her from birth. She didn't have any good memories of him except for those times that they would go sailing together and she was able to impress him with what she was capable of. The rest of her memories involved violence and shouting. She remembered the police being called on more than one occasion during a domestic, so many of which had left her broken and battered. She'd lost count of the bloody noses, the bruises she'd had to hide and the days she'd had to stay in the house so that people didn't ask questions. How could someone who had come from that world raise a child?

***

In the bed she usually shared with Joey, Charlie lay alone. She cried so hard that her body ached. She couldn't erase the image of Joey walking away from her. The more she pictured it, the most convinced she became that she was being punished. She figured it would happen sooner or later but she felt like she could take any punishment but this. How could it possibly end this way?

***

_Please don't hate me! You know they belong together and so do I! IJKS xxx_


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter Sixty-Five**

**Three Years Ago…**

Charlie and her friends wandered into the loud club, all engrossed in each other. It was well into the evening already. They had been in a bar since six and Charlie was having a wonderful time. It was nearly the Christmas holidays at training and she and her closest friends, Sky, Nick, Dawn and Ben were getting in as much party time as they could get away with. Looking up, as she paid her entrance fee, Charlie noticed the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, working behind the bar. She had dark hair that cascaded over her shoulders, shoulders that suggested she was rather fit. She had the most intoxicating smile. The girl was bouncing around the bar in a very animated fashion, giggling with colleagues and customers alike. Charlie's gaze momentarily drifted to the girl's cleavage, concealed only by the black shirt she was wearing. She shook her head. Liking girls was something she was trying to avoid, not encourage. Her father would be furious. She suspected that he knew as he was starting to ask questions and drop hints. It was driving her crazy and making a tense situation worse, if that was possible.

"Charlie?"

Sky nudged her. Charlie smiled and followed her to the cloakroom. They handed their coats over and Charlie offered to go to the bar while the others found somewhere to sit. Cheerfully, Charlie headed over, checking that her fly was done up and her red, sleeveless top was straight. She was thrilled when the beautiful barmaid was free. The dark haired girl smiled brightly at her. Charlie grinned back, so captivated that she forgot to speak.

"What can I get you?" the girl asked.

"Oh! Um… three beers and two glasses of white wine please," Charlie said, embarrassed.

The barmaid nodded, still smiling, making eye contact before leaping into action to serve her. Charlie watched her work, observing her movements, appreciating her body and her perfect features. She paid for her beverages.

"Would you like them on a tray?" the girl offered.

"That'd be great, thanks," Charlie accepted.

Carrying five drinks across a crowded club without one would be much harder. The girl bent to grab one. Charlie looked down the black vest she was wearing. She couldn't help herself. The girl resurfaced, put the drinks on the tray and pushed it towards Charlie.

"Have a nice night," she said.

"Thank you," Charlie replied.

***

Joey had had a busy night as usual. Saturdays were always hectic. The eye candy was particularly exceptional, however. It was normally pretty good but tonight, one customer was the most amazingly stunning woman she had ever laid eyes upon. Joey couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the girl liked her too. Of her little group of friends, this one was the only person who ever came up to get a round and she always came to her. Joey figured she was probably reading too much into it and it was probably only hope talking. However, playing with the idea of such a stunning creature being interested in her was at least keeping her entertained. She smiled when the woman in question approached.

"Same again?" Joey asked.

"You're starting to know me so well," her customer replied.

"Well, I like to pay attention."

"I do appreciate good service."

Joey considered exactly the kind of service she'd like to give the brunette but shook the thought away, at least temporarily and fixed her drinks, setting them on the tray that the woman always dutifully brought back. She accepted her payment and the little tip that the woman had started giving her for the last couple of rounds.

"Thank you very much," she said gratefully.

***

Charlie watched her friends couple up. Sky had met a guy, so had Ben and Nick and Dawn were making out with each other. She finished her drink as each of them made their excuses to head home.

"Hey, do you want to share a cab?" Dawn asked, clinging to Nick's hand.

Charlie considered her options. She really ought to go home. Catching a glimpse of the barmaid jumping up and down at the bar in some kind of competition with her colleague, Charlie suddenly felt the desire to stay. She shook her head and watched them shrug and leave. Charlie grabbed her tray and headed back over to the bar.

***

Joey cheered. She'd successfully finished her shot while jumping up and down. She'd hardly spilt any of it. While she wasn't technically allowed to drink while she was working, she had never been one to observe the rules in any area of her life. It was probably why she always wound up in so much trouble all the time. She broke into a smile when she saw her favourite customer approaching. Instead of leaning, the woman sat down on a stool and put the tray down on the bar.

"Not the same?" Joey asked curiously.

"My friends left," Charlie confirmed.

"And you stayed because…"

"I'm not ready to leave yet."

"Well then you need a complimentary shot," Joey decided.

Charlie grinned.

"Only if I don't drink it alone," she said.

Joey also grinned, pouring one for herself. She wasn't very good with alcohol. She never had been and her head was already swimming a little but she thought she'd pretty much do anything to please this stranger. They clinked their tiny glasses together and downed their drinks.

"So, are you from around here?" Joey asked.

"Born and raised," Charlie confirmed. "You?"

"No," Joey said. "I'm from a little fishing village up the coast."

"And have you always been a barmaid?"

"I've been all sorts," Joey said with a grin.

Charlie laughed.

"What do you do?" Joey asked.

"I'm training to be a cop."

Joey looked momentarily startled before leaning a little further towards her.

"Have you um… got your handcuffs yet?" she asked.

Charlie blushed excessively. Something about this barmaid stirred something in Charlie. She was so exciting. Charlie couldn't take her eyes off her and she had to keep her hands occupied so that she didn't try to touch her. Her body was so inviting. Her lips were so full. Charlie couldn't stop wondering what it would be like to kiss them. For the first time, she didn't try to chase the thoughts away. She let them play but reminded herself not to act on them. The barmaid was a flirt. It didn't necessarily mean anything.

"Unfortunately, I don't have them yet," she said. "Want me to look you up when I do?"

Joey laughed, thrilled that this hot woman was playing along.

"Oh, most definitely!" she said. "Although I have some creative alternatives for now."

Charlie was intrigued.

"Such as what?" she asked.

"Well, that's for me to know," Joey replied.

Charlie's mind was reeling as Joey was forced to serve another customer.

***

The night had continued so wonderfully that Charlie was surprised and disappointed to find that it was closing time. She had propped up the bar ever since her friends had left her and the barmaid had devoted every free second to talking to and flirting with her. Charlie had stopped drinking wine but she and Joey had shared a couple more shots. She was beginning to sober up but she was high on her new friend's company.

"I guess I'd better head off," she said unhappily.

She didn't want to leave the woman just yet. Joey was also disappointed. Charlie looked around at the emptying bar.

"Catch you later, babes," Joey's colleague said.

"It's my night to lock up," Joey explained.

"Well, um… would you like some help?" Charlie offered.

She felt like she'd pretty much do anything to spend some more time with her. Joey's eyes lit up.

"Well, it's against the rules but hey, I'm a rebel," she grinned. "Sure!"

***

As soon as the club had emptied completely, Joey locked the doors. She began clearing up the bar while Charlie began the arduous task of sweeping floor. Neither woman could resist casting glances at the other as they worked.

"So, what made you want to be a cop?" Joey asked.

"I think it's in my blood," Charlie revealed. "My Dad's a detective. I guess I'm kind of following in his footsteps."

"Remind me never to mess with your family!" Joey laughed.

Charlie grinned.

"What are you up to for Christmas?" she asked, changing the subject completely.

"Just hanging out with friends. Working. Maybe going out on a boat trip or something. Might go home. I haven't really thought it through," Joey said. "You?"

"Home with the family. My little sister is the life and soul."

"How little is she?"

"Twelve."

"Ooh, she's about to turn into a teenager! Eeek!" Joey teased.

Charlie giggled. Joey stepped out from behind the bar and approached her.

"Hey, I can do that," she said. "I shouldn't make you do the dirty work."

"Oh, I don't mind," Charlie said.

Joey took the broom handle. Their fingertips brushed and it was like a spark of electricity past between them. Charlie looked up quickly and met Joey's intense gaze. Both heard and ignored the sound of the broom clattering to the floor. Joey slipped her hands to Charlie's waist, touching her hips and nudging her back against the wall. Putty in her hands, Charlie allowed Joey to take control. The wall was cool against her body, which suddenly felt very warm. She could break contact with Joey's beautiful eyes. Their lips met with full force in a searing kiss. Overtaken with passion, Joey pressed her lips against Charlie's kissing her hard and thoroughly enjoying the fact that Charlie was kissing her back with the same amount of enthusiasm. Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey's body while Joey stroked Charlie's hair and face. Her tongue sought entry into Charlie's mouth. It was immediately granted and they wrapped themselves more tightly around each other. Joey kissed her way down Charlie's neck and along her collarbone. She let her fingers drift down over Charlie's breasts, ever so lightly, over her tight top. She smiled to herself and she felt Charlie respond to her and she began to trace kisses across her cleavage, engaging her tongue in the process. Charlie leant her head back against the wall, allowing Joey to do whatever she wanted to her, giving herself to her completely. Joey's hands slipped further down and tugged at the bottom of Charlie's top, easing it up, kissing her mouth again. Charlie lifted her arms obediently and fairly soon, her top was on the floor. Joey took a moment to admire Charlie's bra before pulling Charlie away from the wall slightly in order to unclasp it, dropping that on the floor also. She kissed Charlie's mouth one more time. Her heart racing and her hands shaking, Charlie began to fumble with the buttons of Joey's black work shirt. She was nervous of what was to come, of showing her inexperience but Joey showed no sign of impatience. She shrugged the item off and, noting Charlie's struggle with her bra, reached behind her and unclasped it herself. Charlie's embarrassment was soon overruled by her awe at the sight in front of her. Joey's body was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She was powerless to even touch it. Joey prevented her from doing so anyway by stepping in so close that there was no air between them. She kissed Charlie's mouth again, loving the feel of their lips working together, before descending to her breasts. Charlie moaned as Joey teased her mercilessly with her fingers and mouth. She had never been touched in such an incredible, sensual way before and she had certainly never been so vocal in her responses. Joey in turn didn't think she had ever been with anyone so beautiful. Touching and tasting her felt like heaven. It was an honour to be allowed to do this with such an amazing woman. One hand slipped down to Charlie's jeans, undoing the button and the zip. Sinking to her knees, Joey slid them down. She lifted one leg at a time as she removed Charlie's shoes and slid her jeans off. She gazed up at Charlie, leaning heavily against the wall and breathing hard. Pushing her thong to one side, Joey kissed her. Charlie gasped and felt her knees buckle at the sensations running through her as Joey massaged her with her tongue and supported her with her hand, hooking one of her legs over her shoulder for more intimate access. She'd never felt something so amazing as Joey explored her folds, slipped inside her and toyed with her most sensitive part, working hard to bring her to climax. She admired the way that Joey was so confident and knew exactly what she was doing, exactly how to make her happy. Charlie surrendered everything to Joey, pressing herself against the wall and crying out as Joey achieved her mission. Joey stayed where she was, keeping the pleasure coming until Charlie settled. Then she kissed her way back up Charlie's body, settling on her mouth and surprising her with the taste. They held each other tightly. Charlie nestled herself in Joey's neck, kissing her and trailing her hands up and down her back. Pulling back, they looked into each other's eyes, still captivated.

"What's your name, by the way?" Charlie asked, suddenly realising that she didn't know.

She knew that her new lover had grown up in a fishing village on the coast, that she had no concrete Christmas plans and that she was a bit of a rebel but she didn't know what to call her. She knew that she was captivated by her, she felt a deep connection that somehow went far beyond the physical and yet they hadn't actually introduced themselves.

"My name's Joey," the barmaid told her with a gentle laugh. "And you?"

"Charlie," Joey's beautiful customer replied.

They kissed again, developing it passionately.

"So, Charlie, would you perhaps like to come back to my place?" Joey whispered into Charlie's ear.

"I would love to," Charlie whispered back.

***

Charlie and Joey had hurriedly finished cleaning up, once they'd got dressed again and Joey had taken Charlie to her flat. At the front door, they'd lost control of themselves and begun kissing again as Joey struggled to get the key into the lock. Finally succeeding, they stumbled through the door. Joey flicked the hall light on and kicked the door shut. Her lips never left Charlie's except when they had to as she tossed her keys on the table and guided her to the bedroom. They left a trail of clothes in their wake, both in their underwear by the time they reached their destination. Joey unhooked her own bra and then reached for Charlie's. They marvelled at the sight of each other, coming together to hold each other, enjoying the feel of their bodies being pressed so close. Joey guided Charlie onto the mattress, leaning over her, kissing her way down her body, reaching her underwear and removing it. She leant back, admiring her, not sure that she would ever get enough. Joey wasn't one for relationships really but she hoped that this would be more than a fling or a one night stand. She took her own underwear off and smiled when she saw Charlie gazing at her in a way that drove her wild. Joey came to lie beside her on top of the blankets. They met in a kiss and Charlie looked Joey over, suddenly very unsure.

"I um… I don't know what to do," she admitted.

She waited for Joey to laugh at her and kick her out, preferably after letting her put her clothes back on. She didn't. Joey just stroked her face tenderly and kissed her lips.

"Just do what you want to do," she said softly, "what feels right."

Charlie smiled in relief. She gazed down at Joey's chest. She hadn't actually touched Joey in the club. Tentatively, she let her knuckle graze Joey's breast. She tingled at the touch, her mind reeling at being with another woman. It had only ever been men before, although the concept of women had been playing on her mind for a while. She felt Joey respond beneath her. Encourage, she replaced her knuckle with her palm. Joey pressed into her. Charlie began to tease her nipple with her thumb. She heard Joey moan softly. She let her finger join her thumb. Joey shifted. Recalling just how good Joey's mouth had felt in the club, Charlie leant closer and captured Joey with her lips, quickly introducing her tongue. She eased Joey onto her back. Joey co-operated willingly, enjoying herself as Charlie played, thinking that this surely couldn't be Charlie's first time. She seemed to know what she was doing too well.

***

It was six thirty in the morning before Charlie and Joey were finally ready to sleep. Neither woman knew where they had got the energy from exactly. They just hadn't wanted to let dreams claim them when they knew they could be with each other. It had been a night of revelation and exhilaration for Charlie. If she'd ever had any doubts before, she knew that this was what she wanted. Joey was what she wanted. She was so beautiful and funny; she was loving and gentle. She'd been patient when Charlie hadn't known what to do and so encouraging over Charlie's every move. The whole thing had been fun, thrilling and exciting and Charlie had discovered that Joey's alternative to handcuffs was a bathrobe cord that gave you a frustrating amount of wiggle room. It felt strange to trust someone with something like that so quickly but Joey appeared to have captured her heart. Finally ready to stop making love, Charlie felt suddenly nervous. As much as she felt she was falling for Joey, which was strange in itself, she didn't really know her. She wondered if Joey would want her to stay.

"Do you um… Would you like me to go?" she asked anxiously.

"I'd really love you to stay," Joey said.

She reached out her arms and allowed Charlie to settle into them. Her own mind was spinning. It wasn't abnormal for her to pick someone up at work and yes, sometimes they stayed to sleep. She was a polite girl. She cared about being a hostess. But she never cuddled. She turned away, shut herself off and stayed separate. And yet, here she was, preparing to sleep with Charlie in her arms and she was happy about it. It felt unreal. This woman was definitely special. In one night, Joey had gone from not believing in love at all to thinking she was starting to get lost in the middle of it. And she didn't even mind.


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter Sixty-Six**

Charlie woke up having finally got to sleep and dreamt of the first night she had ever met Joey. She had known even then that that night had been the start of the rest of her life. It might have taken three meetings over the course of three years to actually get things off the ground but Joey Collins had changed her life from the second Charlie had clapped eyes on her serving behind the bar in the club. She'd been so loving, so unlike anything and anyone Charlie had ever known before. And it wasn't because she was a woman. It was because she was Joey. The following morning, when they had woken after only four hours sleep, Charlie hadn't hurried away. They had made love again, exploring each other's souls along with their bodies. Joey had made her a cooked breakfast and they'd politely got to know each other. They had not exchanged numbers but understood that they would see each other in the club. Charlie had then spent eighteen months regretting not going to find her, except for that one time, only to find that Joey wasn't around. Ross had made it too difficult for Charlie to pursue anything and she had forced herself to forget the idea of being gay and falling in love with Joey. Even when they had had their beautiful weekend at the hotel together, they had established immediately that it was only a weekend thing. Charlie couldn't let it be more than that. Joey had understood. Neither of them had really meant for it to start up again when Joey had arrived in the Bay. Joey had tested Charlie's boundaries of course, in that cheeky way that only she could get away with, but looking back now, their romance had been inevitable. It had been written the moment their eyes had first met three years ago. Getting up, showered and dressed, Charlie was determined not to let her past get in the way of that. She had made so many mistakes in her life, she had so much to make up for and whether she deserved Joey or not, she had to keep her. She knew that Joey had broken up with her because she was trying to do the right thing. But it wasn't the right thing. It would hurt not to have a child but it would hurt more not to have Joey.

***

Joey took a walk along the beach trying to get some air to clear her head. She sighed heavily when she saw Charlie sitting on the beach. Her head was bent and her shoulders were shuddering, obviously in tears. She turned and fled. All she had been thinking about was Charlie and everything they had been through, particularly the first time they had met. Charlie had stolen her heart with just a look. She wondered for the millionth time how they had reached this place.

***

At home that evening, Charlie opened a bottle of red wine. She threw herself down in a kitchen chair and poured a glass, gulping it inelegantly. She closed her eyes, glad that she had bought three bottles. Drinking herself into oblivion seemed like a good plan right about now. She looked up when she heard footsteps and was startled to see Joey hovering in the doorway.

"When I first met you, before I even knew your name, I knew that I loved you. And I didn't even believe that love was real," Joey said, her voice trembling.

They gazed into each others eyes. Joey didn't venture into the house. Charlie forgot all about her wine.

"But it was like your heart was speaking to mine," Joey continued. "We were connected somehow and all I wanted was to be part of your life. That you let me near you meant everything to me. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I lost you twice before and I thought I could walk away this time but I can't do it again. I could pack up and move on but I'd never be able to run from my heart, which means that I'd never be able to leave you behind. And I don't think I want to."

Charlie dared not hope that this was Joey coming back to her. She couldn't bear to be disappointed.

"You're my world, Charlie. I can't breathe without you. I love you. I need you. You're everything that's important to me. You're my home, my family and if you'll let me backtrack on everything I've said these past couple of days, I want to."

She grew tearful and took a breath. Charlie couldn't even speak. She just stared at her.

"When we got together this time around, I swore I'd do anything to keep you," Joey said. "I promised myself that I would do anything to make you happy and if a baby is what will do that then it's yours. I don't know exactly how these things work but we'll find a way… clinics or turkey basters or whatever you want, we can do it. We can have a baby. I want to have a baby with you."

Tears stung Charlie's eyes. She could hardly believe what Joey was telling her.

"But… you said…"

"Forget what I said. I can do this. I can get up in the night, I can feed it and change it and pull faces to make it laugh. And when it gets older I can do the school run and teach it its words. And then when it's too old, like around eight and its school work gets too hard, I can hand all the homework over to you and just focus on doing all the fun stuff!" Joey grinned.

Charlie smiled, amused that Joey was always selling herself short and not realising how bright she was.

"And I could try and get a better job and we could save up for holidays and days trips and I could teach him or her how to sail a boat."

She smiled. The more she'd thought about it, the more she'd come round to the idea. She fought not to become overwhelmed with emotion.

"And… and I could take everything my parents taught me and do the exact opposite. When I was a kid, I excused my Dad all the time but you know what? He had free will. He made his choices. And I can choose to do it a different way. I _will_ do it a different way. We can do this together. If you'll still have me."

"Of course I'll still have you!" Charlie said.

She rose from her chair, meeting Joey who hurried into the room. They held each other tightly, covering each others faces in kisses. Pulling back, Joey searched Charlie's eyes. Neither of them could stop crying.

"You do know I was trying to set you free, right?" she asked. "I know I did it completely wrong but I was honestly trying to do right by you, Charlie."

"I know," Charlie said gently.

"I guess we should have known I'd mess it up. It's a skill of mine," Joey said sadly.

Charlie put her index finger on Joey's lips.

"I don't want you saying that or thinking it, Joey. We've both been trapped these past few days but not by each other."

Joey nodded. She kissed Charlie's finger, making her smile. Charlie reached round behind Joey's neck and undid the chain she was wearing. She slipped the engagement ring off it and placed it back on Joey's finger. They kissed again.

"I um… I got you something," Joey said.

She dug around in her pocket and produced a box.

"It's not as fancy, I'm afraid," she said shyly. "But I thought you deserved one too."

Charlie opened her mouth in delighted surprise.

"Not as fancy? Are you kidding me?" she said.

It was easily the same carat of white gold as the ring Charlie had given Joey and had five small diamonds in it.

"Do you like it?" Joey asked.

"I love it," Charlie replied. "Thank you."

"I had to guess the size."

She slipped it on Charlie's finger. It fit. Joey looked proud.

Kissing her, Joey drew away only to whisper in her fiancée's ear that she knew her fingers pretty well. They kissed again, holding each other close.

"I love you so much, Charlie."

"I love you too."

"I am never ever going to let you go again."

"That had better be a promise."

***

Ruby arrived home to find the lights on and a trail of clothes littering the kitchen through to Charlie's bedroom. She poked at a pair of jeans with her shoe. Joey's wallet fell out of the pocket. She smiled to herself.

"Thank goodness!" she said to herself.

***

_Now, to those who complained… I expect such exuberant but POSITIVE reviews this time! IJKS xxx_


	67. Chapter 67

_Apologies for how heavy this chapter is but at least it explains a few things. Also, I made a big, fat error in my timings – thank you soooo much to funkyshaz for pointing this out. When Charlie, Joey, Ruby and Xavier had dinner with Hugo, they said they'd been together for two or three months. I completely forgot about the five months healing time post-Skip so they have been together for eight months! So I will correct this. So yes, eight month relationship so far... and long may it continue! Anyway, on with the story..._

***

**Chapter Sixty-Seven**

Joey resurfaced from under the blanket gasping for breath. She'd almost suffocated down there but feeling the orgasm shuddering through Charlie's body had made it worth it. If there was any way to go, surely that was it. She giggled and heaped herself against her girlfriend, who stroked her hair, slick from perspiration.

"Hey, do you think we made a baby?" Joey giggled.

Charlie snorted with laughter and held Joey closer.

"I wish!" she said.

"Me too," Joey said seriously. "I wish I could give you one just through making love to you."

Charlie kissed her, momentarily lost in her own thoughts. Joey stroked her cheek with her fingertips. They held each other for a long time in comfortable silence.

***

"Would you prefer a boy or a girl?" Joey asked eventually.

Charlie had no idea. It was something she felt extremely mixed up over.

"I don't know. What would you like?"

"I don't mind as long as that baby's happy and healthy."

She was surprising them both by how readily she was coming round to the idea.

"The more I think about it, the more I think it'll be nice to have a family."

A single tear fell from Charlie's eye and her heart began to race. Listening to Joey chatter about their future, she knew she couldn't lie anymore.

"What's wrong?" Joey asked, immediately fretful that she had messed up again.

Charlie fought with the tears that were now freefalling.

"Charlie?" Joey asked more urgently.

"Joey, I need to tell you something," Charlie admitted.

Joey gazed into her face, which was now hidden by her hands.

"What is it?"

"You're going to hate me," Charlie said. "You're going to leave me."

She began to cry harder. Deep, shuddering sobs overtook her. Joey reached out to hold her, rubbing her bare shoulders.

"Nothing could make me hate you, Charlie," she insisted.

Charlie looked at her directly.

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Just tell me," Joey pleaded.

Charlie took a breath and looked down at their nakedness.

"We need to put some clothes on first," she said quickly.

***

A few minutes later, Charlie and Joey were dressed again. Charlie was sitting up on the bed and Joey was seated just behind her, cross legged on the bed, concerned about what she was about to hear. Charlie was struggling over how to say what she knew she had to. She wanted to start a family with Joey but she couldn't without being completely honest with her.

"Somewhere out there I um... I already have a... a daughter," Charlie said quietly.

She was met with stunned silence. Unable to see Joey's face, Charlie dared to turn around and wished she hadn't. The shock and confusion on Joey's face almost broke her. They stared at each other as Joey struggled to make a few incomprehensible sounds. Charlie didn't know what else to say or how else to explain.

"You um... you have a kid?" Joey finally asked.

"Yes."

"You convince me to take back everything I believe in, challenge all my fears and issues in order to have a baby with you and then you turn around and say 'hey, here's one I made earlier'? Are you kidding me?"

Joey got up and began to pace the room, her mind reeling as she attempted to absorb the information. Charlie visibly shrank. She knew that Joey would hate her. She hated herself.

"I'm sorry," she said weakly.

"All this time I thought you were just broody because of Ruby but obviously it goes even deeper than that," Joey said. "How could you not tell me?"

"I just couldn't."

"No, I mean how could you not tell me? Seriously?"

She sat back down on the bed, looking deeply into Charlie's eyes, wondering exactly what the story was here.

"I was ashamed."

"Because you gave her away."

"Yes."

"Why did you give her away?"

"I was too young to raise her. I... I wanted to give her to responsible parents who would take care of her," Charlie said.

Memories flooded her brain and she looked away.

"How young?"

Charlie refused to answer.

"Ruby young?" Joey asked.

"Younger," Charlie admitted.

Joey studied Charlie's seemingly fragile form. She felt so confused. Then she remembered something.

"You told me that your first time was when you were seventeen with your gay best friend," she said.

Charlie's whole body tensed up.

"I don't count this time," she mumbled.

"You don't count the time you got pregnant?" Joey queried. "Surely the only time you wouldn't count sex would be if..."

Her voice trailed off. Charlie jumped up. She whirled around, suddenly jittery and nervous.

"I'll um... I'll sleep on the couch tonight," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being honest with you, for letting you down. I didn't mean to hurt you, Joey. I'll understand if you don't want to see me again."

"Charlie..." Joey said worriedly.

"I'll just grab a pillow and..."

"Charlie!" Joey begged.

She leant across and grabbed her girlfriend's hand, pleading with her to stop running. Charlie clenched her jaw, willing herself not to break down. She hadn't broken down over this in years.

"Please talk to me," Joey said.

Charlie sat down heavily and kept hold of Joey's hand. Joey just gazed into her eyes.

"Is this..." she ventured. "I mean, am I jumping to conclusions or...?"

Charlie sighed.

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Charlie said. "It wasn't my fault, Joey. Please don't let it have been my fault."

Joey was taken aback by how desperate she sounded.

"Of course it wasn't your fault, Charlie," she replied immediately. "Why would you ever think it was?"

"It always felt like it was my fault," Charlie said quietly, studying the pattern of the blanket. "And I... I always feel like I did the wrong thing by giving her away but I really was trying to do right by her. I was, Joey. I was twelve. I couldn't have taken care of her. I could barely take care of myself. I still had baby teeth! I'd had one period! One!"

She began weep softly. Awkwardly, Joey shifted to put her arms around Charlie's shoulders.

"Twelve?" she asked.

Charlie nodded.

"Who...? What...? Do you mind me asking?"

"It started when I was nine. He was a friend of my Dad's. It... it didn't start as sex. I didn't really understand what it was at first. The first night, my parents were having a dinner party and he came up into my room on his way back from the bathroom and kissed me goodnight. It scared me. And it just got worse from there."

"You didn't tell anyone?"

"I couldn't. I was too afraid. I... you don't understand," Charlie said, panicking about being judged.

Joey held her a little tighter, promising her that she wasn't accusing. She knew only too well what it was like to live in fear as a child.

"I never wanted it. Sometimes I fought. But mostly I just froze. That's why I feel guilty but because if I didn't push him away, even if I didn't participate, wasn't it my fault?"

"When an adult abuses a child, it's never the child's fault, Charlie," Joey insisted. "You must know that."

Charlie nodded but she had never been able to shake the doubt in her mind that her case was different somehow.

"Did you never tell anybody?" Joey asked.

All she could picture was her girlfriend's trauma and suffering. It made her feel sick.

"I told Mum and Dad everything when I started throwing up. I thought I had a bug. The Doctor told me I was pregnant. Dad was furious, thinking I was promiscuous or something so I had to tell the truth."

"And they helped you? They put him in prison?"

"He went to jail for seven years for fraud."

Joey looked utterly confused.

"Dad framed him," Charlie explained. "He wanted to punish him for what he'd done but it would never have done for Ross Buckton to have not noticed such a thing going on under his roof so he told me it had to stay as our little secret. That one little phrase made me feel so dirty, like I should be ashamed and guilty because that's how Mike, the man who'd abused me had approached it all that time."

Joey's dislike for Charlie's father suddenly increased.

"I couldn't bring myself to get rid of her so we kept the pregnancy a secret and I gave her away on the day I gave birth. I saw her for a few precious moments and then they took her away. Dad organised everything."

Suddenly Charlie collapsed against Joey who was ready to catch her. It was as if she had been holding her breath for all these years and now she'd finally passed out. Landing in Joey's lap, she allowed her partner to hold her and stroke her hair. Joey stared directly ahead of her, becoming angry with herself as she felt tears stinging her eyes. She didn't want to lose herself in sadness; she wanted to be strong for Charlie. That's what was needed but she felt so overwhelmed and surprised by her fiancée's revelations. Charlie was always the strong one. She was capable and confident, not troubled and broken.

"Do you hate me?" Charlie asked quietly.

"How could I hate you?" Joey asked incredulously. "I just don't understand how you could have kept this a secret for so long."

"I had to. I shouldn't even be telling you now. When we told Dad about Ruby, he warned me not to get any ideas and reminded me to make sure that the past stays buried."

Joey tensed and she fought the urge to charge round to the house and give Ross a piece of her mind. How could he treat his own daughter that way? Didn't he care? She appreciated that he had at least sought some kind of justice but she didn't understand how he could have put his pride and reputation ahead of her suffering.

"Well, I think it's fair to say you had a couple of ideas," Joey said softly.

Charlie sighed. She stayed in Joey's lap, never wanting to leave her. It felt strange to feel so safe when talking about this but she did. Somehow it was such a relief to share her past. She didn't understand why Joey wasn't judging her or turning her away.

"I guess you don't want a baby now."

"I think... I think that perhaps we should put it on hold for a little while."

Charlie deflated even further. Joey hurried to explain.

"All I'm saying is that when we have kids – when, not if – we should be doing it because we want a family, not because we're trying to make up for what we've lost. It should be about them, not about those who have gone before them."

"I would love them for who they are," Charlie said weakly.

"Oh, I know you would, sweetheart," Joey said kindly. "It's just that this is such a big decision and I think we really need to get it right."

She felt Charlie's tears begin to fall onto where Joey's jeans had ridden up on her ankle. She continued to stroke Charlie's hair.

"But that's not really the issue here," Joey added. "The important thing is to help you heal."

Charlie sat up quickly. Her eyes were puffy and red rimmed. Her face was pale.

"I'm fine," she lied.

Joey reached out to stroke her cheek.

"You're amazing," she said. "But you're hurting. All this stuff has suddenly come up for you. It's okay to be struggling with it."

"But it was such a long time ago."

"Did you ever deal with it, Charlie?" Joey wondered.

"I ignored it and it went away."

"Did it really?"

"I couldn't go near a guy again until I was seventeen," Charlie admitted, twisting her hands together. "And even then it was only because he was my best friend. Ever since then I've never managed the commitment thing, except that one man who was abusive and controlling towards me and then... and then you. I don't think Roman really counts. You're the first person I ever trusted my heart with. And you're certainly the only person aside from my parents that I've trusted with my secret."

"Well, I feel honoured that you have, although devastated by what you've gone through, Charlie. I had no idea..."

Charlie smiled sadly at her. She stopped twisting her hands and reached for her.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Don't be silly," Joey scolded softly.

Charlie blushed, realising that it was a stupid question.

"And you really don't hate me?"

"Charlie, I love you. All I wish is that I could take your pain away."

The reached for each other, holding each other close. Charlie lost herself in the safety of Joey's arms. It had been frightening to tell Joey about her past. She'd believed all this time that anyone, even Joey, would turn her away if they knew but Joey had offered nothing but compassion and love. There hadn't been a judgement or an accusation in sight. Suddenly overcome with exhaustion, she yawned.

"I think maybe it's time to get you to sleep," Joey suggested.

Charlie nodded. Slowly, they got into their pyjamas and crawled into bed, meeting in the middle ready to comfort each other in the night. Lying in the darkness, Charlie felt like a weight had been lifted from her, although her mind was still reeling with painful memories. Tears stung her eyes as she struggled to shut them out. Beside her, Joey shed her own tears as she tried and failed not to think about everything the love of her life had been through and how she must have carried that burden with her always. It was too hard to think about it and too hard to ignore it. If she'd admired Charlie's strength before, it had increased by a million now. All she hoped was that she had the strength to support her through it as Charlie tried to settle it in her mind.


	68. Chapter 68

_Hi everyone! I am finally getting there with my updates. So sorry it's taking so long but I hope it's all worth waiting for. I have a load of good & dramatic stuff in store for our girls over the next few chapters so here's your first instalment. Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Sixty-Eight**

The morning hit Charlie like a tonne of bricks. Her secret had always been a poison, hidden inside her. Now it was swirling around her on the outside. It was free, at least within this room, between herself and the woman she loved and she couldn't quite figure out how she felt about that. Joey had been the perfect confidant but now Charlie was frightened that things would change between them. Would Joey be able to look at her in the same way? Would she think of her like she did before? Would she love her the same? She thought back to when Joey had told her about being sexually assaulted at the rich woman's house. Charlie had been a little shy of touching Joey after that, just for a short time. It wasn't because she thought of her differently though; she had just been afraid of breaking her when she knew she was fragile. But Joey had taken control and explained that it was a long time ago, that she had healed and she wanted to move on. Closing her eyes again, Charlie willed herself to feel the same but she failed. Talking about it all made it feel like it had happened yesterday. She felt like a frightened child again. She closed her eyes. Her entire body was exhausted. When she opened up again, she found tears spilling down her cheeks. She didn't bother to fight them. She closed her eyes again and focussed on the feel of a slumbering Joey wrapped tightly around her. Whether she was reliving her past experiences or not, with Joey there, surely she would always be safe?

***

Twenty minutes later, Joey began to stir. Blinking open her eyes, she gazed up at Charlie who was already awake and staring up at the ceiling. Joey took in her features.

"Find any answers up there?" Joey asked softly.

Charlie smiled and looked down at her. They held each other closer and lay together in silence. They held hands beneath the blankets, tracing patterns over each other's skin with their thumbs.

"Do you..." Charlie ventured. "Do you still love me?"

Joey furrowed her brow in utter astonishment at the question. She propped herself up on her elbow and leant over Charlie, gazing into her eyes.

"As if that could even be a question," Joey said seriously.

Charlie chewed her lip anxiously.

"I was just worried because... in case you thought differently of me."

Joey shook her head.

"Nothing in the world could ever stop me from loving you."

"But how could you... love someone who... I let him... for years. And I, I told you everything. I've never told anyone except my parents and that's only because I had to. And we never ever spoke about it after those first few times. It's been this massive secret and now... and now..."

She closed her eyes again and sighed heavily.

"All I feel about this is heartbroken over what you've been through," Joey said gently. "I cried myself to sleep last night thinking about what you must have suffered and I feel so sad that it's been a secret that you haven't been allowed to talk about for all this time. I'm honoured that you would share it with me. It changes nothing about how I feel about you, except perhaps that I admire you more for your strength and your ability to cope with all the shit that life has thrown at you."

"Well, that really is compliment considering all the shit life's thrown at you."

Joey smiled and lowered herself to hold Charlie closer. They kissed once on the lips.

"Crap! I'm going to be late for work!" Charlie suddenly bellowed.

"You really think you're going to work today?" Joey said.

"I'm on shift..."

"I'm calling in sick for you, okay?" Joey told her firmly. "And then I'm coming back to bed with some breakfast."

***

Out in the kitchen, having hung up the phone to Watson explaining that Charlie had a migraine, Joey began making some toast and coffee for Charlie. Her head was swimming still with the information she had gained the night before and she was utterly determined that she was going to be the best girlfriend in the world. Whatever Charlie needed now, Joey was going to provide.

"Morning, Joey," Ruby said brightly. "Did you have a nice night?"

Joey was momentarily puzzled by the knowing grin on the younger girl's face. Then suddenly she clicked. The last time she had seen her, Joey and Charlie had been fighting. The fact that Joey was at home making breakfast in her pyjamas this morning would obviously indicate a reunion. So much had happened since their temporary break-up that Joey had lost pace momentarily.

"Yeah," she said, forcing a smile.

She had had a good night until Charlie's pain had come pouring out. Although strangely, Charlie telling the truth about her past had potentially brought them closer together.

"I piled your clothes up on the couch, by the way," Ruby pointed out.

Joey blushed and grinned.

"Thanks!" she giggled.

"I don't know why you're embarrassed," Ruby commented. "It's not like it's the first time. Honestly, you two are like rabbits!"

"I don't think you're one to be commenting on sexual activities right now," Joey teased.

Ruby opened her mouth to speak and then closed it.

"Below the belt," she said.

Joey just grinned and felt triumphant. She piled the breakfast items onto a tray and headed back towards the bedroom.

***

Charlie was sitting propped up against the pillows when Joey arrived back in the room. She smiled when she saw Joey balancing the tray in her arms and head over to the bed. Setting the tray on Charlie's lap, Joey snuggled back in beside her under the blankets and they began to eat their meal.

"Do you think she hates me?" Charlie asked.

Joey looked at her quizzically.

"The baby," Charlie clarified. "Well, obviously she isn't a baby now. She must be a teenager."

"Charlie, I'm sure she doesn't hate you," Joey said kindly. "You weren't in a position to take care of her. You gave her to people who were. You were doing what you felt was the right thing."

Charlie nodded. Hardly a day had gone by in her life without thinking of her daughter, wondering who she was turning out to be. But ever since Ruby had made her announcement, her baby, who she had named Grace, had been constantly on her mind. She wondered what colour hair she had, was music she liked and what her favourite TV shows were. She wondered if she was happy; she desperately hoped that she was happy. Sensing her girlfriend was drifting back into her own thoughts, Joey stopped mid-bite of a slice of toast and put her arm around her. Charlie chuckled at the sight of a piece of toast shoved in Joey's mouth. Joey bit down on it and Charlie put the slice back on the plate. Brushing crumbs away from Joey's mouth, Charlie kissed her softly.

"You really are the most amazing woman in the world," she said. "Do you know that?"

"Maybe I could be the second most amazing," Joey said. "I'm afraid you get the top spot."

Charlie blushed, wondering how Joey could still look at her so adoringly after all her confessions. She kissed her again and closed her eyes, letting a couple of tears fall. She had already resigned herself to the fact that it would be a tearful day.

***

A couple of days later, Charlie was still off sick and had been floating around the house, trying to gather her senses together. Joey had spent all her home time taking care of her. She had taken responsibility for all their share of the chores and had provided as much amusement and happiness as possible. Ruby had noticed the atmosphere and how fragile Charlie seemed to be and it puzzled her. She had tried asking both women what was wrong but they had just said that Charlie wasn't feeling very well and just needed to chill for a few days. Privately, Ruby fretted that Charlie was overwhelmed by disappointment in her over the pregnancy. She hadn't meant to let her sister down.

***

Joey arrived home from work, surprised to find Charlie absent. She phoned her but Charlie's mobile phone just rang on the bedside table. Looking at it, Joey found a note: _Gone for a walk to clear my head. Back soon. I love you. Charlie xxx_. Satisfied, Joey grabbed a towel and headed to the shower.

***

Ross was surprised to see his eldest daughter standing at the front door. She looked frail, pale and unsure of herself. He stepped aside so that she could come in and watched her perch on the sofa.

"Would you like a coffee or something?" Ross asked.

He wondered what more bad news Charlie could be bringing. It had been a painful few days as he had tried to get his head around Ruby's pregnancy. And he wanted to kill Xavier... or perhaps castrate him. He wondered where he had gone wrong: one daughter was a lesbian and one was going to be a teenage mother.

"So, what brings you here?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"I told Joey everything," Charlie blurted out.

Ross's heart lurched into his throat.

"What do you mean 'everything'?"

"About Mike. About Grace. Everything."

Ross leapt to his feet.

"Charlie! I told you that the past has to stay in the past!" he yelled.

"But that's the problem, Dad," Charlie pleaded. "It wasn't staying in the past. We might have swept it under the carpet and pretended it never happened but it did happen and I can't forget that. Ruby's pregnancy provoked all this stuff in me, all this pain that I can't deal with by myself."

"Then you should have talked to me! Not that girl!"

"What would you have said, Dad?" Charlie asked. "Told me to forget it all again. I've hidden it and been ashamed of it and never managed to deal with it for nearly fifteen years. I can't do it anymore. And _that girl _has been amazing. I couldn't have asked for a more understanding partner."

"And I haven't been good to you over this?" Ross asked, annoyed. "I took care of you, Charlie. I helped you carry the baby and have it without people knowing. I put the bastard in prison, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes you were good to me," Charlie agreed. "But you never let me talk about it."

"Talking doesn't help. All this namby-pamby, get in touch with your emotions stuff is crap, Charlie. I brought you up better than that. You need to put a lid on it and move on."

Charlie shook her head and stood up.

"Joey told me that I need to talk about it," she said. "I'm going to go and speak to Rachel about getting on the list for counselling and Joey and I are going to work through this together. I don't want to ignore my past anymore."

Ross looked disgusted. He didn't want his girl talking to some counsellor. Finding out that he had missed his own daughter being abused was the single worst moment in his life. Thinking back to the confession of a tearful twelve year old that she was pregnant by a man that he had trusted and treated as his best friend, still made him feel sick. He had let her down so badly and now it felt like he was letting her down all over again. It wasn't that he didn't care. He just didn't see how talking about it was going to help. If she ignored it, then eventually, it would go away. But he couldn't tell her how he felt. He couldn't talk about what had happened. At the time, he had dealt with the practicalities. His wife had been more of an emotional support but after a few days of seeing his baby girl weeping, he had told his wife to stop talking about it and make her move on. He had never been able to find the words to tell Charlie that he was sorry or that he was proud of her for how strong she was. That was always his problem. He never had the words.

"I'm sorry you feel like that," he said finally. "I guess you have do what you think is right but please, please don't tell anyone else about this – especially not poor Ruby. She couldn't handle that kind of information. Don't do that to her."

Charlie didn't reply, she just headed home, hoping that Joey would be back by the time she got there.


	69. Chapter 69

**Chapter Sixty-Nine**

"And are you worried about your relationship with Joey?" Shelley asked.

Charlie sat in the chair opposite her psychotherapist and shook her head. Then she shrugged. Then she took a sip of water.

"Charlie?" Shelley probed.

"She's been amazing," Charlie said. "I couldn't have asked for a kinder, more loving partner than I've got. And she's been so supportive and understanding. It's like she knows exactly what I need to hear and when. But I'm worried."

"What are you worried about?"

"That she'll get tired of me."

"Has she ever given you an indication that that's likely to happen?" Shelley asked.

Again, Charlie shook her head, surprised by how honest and open she was being with her therapist. The formally guarded Charlie appeared to have gone. Ever since she'd met Joey, her heart had been melted into expressing feelings and emotions that she had always tried to be immune to before. That's what she'd been taught to do and now she was breaking all the rules.

"Like I said, Joey's been perfect," Charlie said. "But how perfect can she be? Won't she get tired of all my issues?"

"I don't think you should worry about what may be," Shelley said. "I think you should focus on what's happening now and what's happening is that your girlfriend is being supportive and showing no signs of losing patience."

"It's just... well, um..."

Charlie blushed.

"You don't need to be worried about anything you say in here," Shelley reminded her.

"We haven't um... I mean, I haven't really been able to... I haven't wanted to... be intimate with her. And it's not about her. It's just with all this stuff going on in my head, it's made me remember too much and panic about certain things. I just... we haven't really talked about that and I don't know how she feels about it," Charlie explained awkwardly.

"Well, it's completely understandable that you'd struggle in that area right now. But again, it sounds like Joey is accepting of that. But perhaps the key here is to communicate with her and explain where you're coming from."

Charlie nodded.

"I mean we're as close as we've always been," she said. "Closer, even. But sexually, not so much."

"And how do _you _feel about that, to start with?" Shelley asked.

"I miss it," Charlie said. "But I don't want to start anything with her that I can't finish. I don't think I'm ready yet. But I miss it. I miss her."

"And how sexually active were the two of you before?" Shelley asked.

Charlie coloured. She pictured the last time they were together when they'd practically had sex in the kitchen and all through the living room, leaving clothes strewn about the house as they made their way to bed. She thought about sex on Hugo's car, inside her own car, at the farm house, on their naughty weekend back before Joey arrived in the Bay and of course, the first time they met.

"Very," she said.

Shelley just nodded.

"Like, a night off was rare," Charlie ventured further.

"So this is really new experience for the two of you," Shelley concluded.

"Really new."

"Well, it seems to me that you need to experience it together," Shelley told her. "You need to talk about how you're both feeling, really listen to each other and start to communicate about the shift in your relationship."

***

Charlie drove home in a world of her own, thinking about what Shelley had told her. She agreed. After everything they had been through, Charlie didn't think there was anything she and Joey couldn't talk about. So now, she just needed to pick the right time. She stopped when she entered the house and found Leah and Joey in deep discussion. Now was obviously not the right time.

"What's going on?" she asked curiously.

Both women looked up at her.

"Leah's trying to pin us down for an engagement party date," Joey explained.

"Come and sit," Leah said enthusiastically. "We need your input."

"Are you sure?" Charlie teased.

Leah grinned.

"I'm thinking Saturday night," Leah said.

Charlie nodded.

"I'm not on shift and we don't have anything planned," she agreed. "Joey?"

"I'm easy."

Charlie opened her mouth to crack a joke.

"Don't you comment on that," Joey warned with mock seriousness.

Charlie laughed and held her hand over the table.

"So, Saturday?" Leah asked hopefully.

Things had been so tense at home since Ruby had told Charlie and Joey, then her Dad, Xavier and finally Leah about her pregnancy. Leah was desperate to lighten the mood and an engagement party seemed like the perfect way to do it.

"Sounds good to me," Joey said. "What do you think, Charlie? You don't have to if..."

"It sounds like a wonderful idea," Charlie confirmed.

***

"Morning sickness is a lie," Ruby declared unhappily when Charlie got home from work.

Charlie came to sit beside her on the couch.

"I've been sick all day!" Ruby continued to rant. "I had to leave school early. I washed my hair and then I threw up all over it again. It was gross."

Charlie pulled a face.

"It sounds it!" she said, pulling her sister into a hug.

"I'm telling you, this baby better be damn cute when he comes out," Ruby said. "He'd better be worth it."

"You think he's a boy?" Charlie asked.

Ruby shrugged.

"I guess I do," she realised.

Charlie leant forward and pulled out the baby book.

"So, what does baby look now according to the book?" she asked.

"He has a tiny little heartbeat!" Ruby gushed, not needing to look at the book. "And even though he still looks a bit like a tadpole, he's getting all the right things in the right places. His kidneys are developing and his intestines and he has an appendix!"

Charlie put the book down and listened to her sister.

"He's getting ready to develop arms and legs and he even has some facial features. He has nostrils! Little, tiny, baby nostrils!"

She was positively glowing. Charlie couldn't help but wish that she had been so happy during her own pregnancy. But she was thrilled that Ruby was adjusting so well. The frightened little girl who had got pregnant in the first place seemed to have flourished into a young woman who was taking on real responsibility.

"I just wish I wasn't so sick and tired all the time. And my boobs hurt! Why do my boobs hurt? And I cannot stop peeing."

Charlie laughed as Ruby launched into a protest about the horrible things the baby was doing to her body.

"And it only gets worse from here, doesn't it?"

"So I hear," Charlie said sadly. "Oh, I was reading about tips and stuff and some woman posted on the Internet about rubbing olive oil onto your tummy to avoid stretch marks."

Ruby looked aghast at the mere thought of such things attacking her body but she smiled when Charlie presented her with a bottle. She wrapped her arms around her sister and held her tight.

"Oh and someone else said that if you eat cucumber soaked in water, it helps with the sickness," Charlie said, a little unsure about that one.

"I'm pretty much willing to try anything!" Ruby admitted.

"Are you still going to be able to come to the party tomorrow night?" Charlie asked.

"I could be having triplets and they wouldn't keep me away," Ruby confirmed.

***

The following night at the party, Charlie was having a good time. Leah, Irene, Colleen and Roman had gone all out on making the buffet and it was an engagement party present. Alf had also offered up a free round of drinks for all guests and all free drinks for Charlie and Joey. She looked across the room and located her beloved talking to Aden and Belle. She wandered over and placed a kiss on Joey's cheek. Joey wrapped her arms around her.

"I was just saying that I feel I can take credit for this," Aden joked. "After all, it was my gift to Belle that prompted your proposal."

Charlie laughed, supposing it was really.

"And I'm wondering where my proposal is," Belle teased.

Aden blanched and wondered aloud if anyone needed more drinks.

***

Colleen was stuck to Irene like glue, peering out at everyone as if they were strangers.

"Do you think that one's gay?" she asked.

She had been very judgemental over the whole thing but fascination had compelled her to come.

"Maybe," Irene said, getting increasingly irritated. "How on earth would I know?"

They looked up as a tall, dark woman entered the bar with a smaller brunette.

"Do you think...?" Colleen began.

"I don't know!" Irene bellowed, hurrying to catch up with Leah and Roman.

***

Joey looked up when she spotted Star entering the bar. She was pleased she had made it. She blanched when she saw who she was with. Excusing herself from Watson's company, Joey hurried over.

"Hi!" she said.

"Hey," Star greeted. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"Hi, Joey," the other girl said sweetly.

Joey couldn't even bring herself to be polite.

"What are you doing bringing her to my engagement party?" she hissed.

"She..."

Star looked down at her companion who didn't seem fazed at all by Joey's irritation.

"She just tagged along. I'm sorry," she apologised.

Joey turned to the young woman.

"You have to go," she told her.

"But I wanted to celebrate with you, Joey," the girl, Maddy protested. "Who'd ever have thought you'd actually settle down? I had to see it for myself."

Joey sighed and looked around nervously.

"Well, I have. You've seen. Can you go now please?"

"Can't I enjoy the party?" Maddy asked. "I've come all this way. I won't be any trouble."

Joey sighed heavily. She didn't believe her.

"Don't you let her talk to Charlie," Joey warned Star.

Star nodded and looked over her shoulder.

"Who is that?" she asked, pointing at Watson who was chatting with Jack and Martha.

"That's... that's someone you'll meet when you get Maddy out of here," Joey replied sternly.

She hurried away to continue to mingle with her other guests.

***

Ruby was having a lovely time, mostly because she had only been sick once all day. It was hard for her to explain herself these days. She was only five weeks gone and was definitely not showing but the signs were there if you really wanted to look for them. And her friends had definitely noticed the breakup of her and Xavier. She hated being apart from him but if he couldn't accept the baby, then it was over.

***

Angelo hesitated before he entered the Surf Club. Charlie and Joey had invited him, without Davina but after taking her away from Watson, he wasn't sure that he would really be welcome. He was grateful to spot Charlie as soon as he arrived. Hurrying over, he smiled cheerfully.

"Hey, congratulations," he said.

"Thanks, Angelo. And thanks for not bringing _her_."

"I actually couldn't have brought her even if I wanted to," Angelo admitted, looking at the floor.

Charlie eyed him quizzically.

"We split up last night," he explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Sort of," Charlie said.

"I found her in bed with Hugo."

"Oh! I really am sorry."

Charlie pulled her friend into a hug, privately thinking that it was probably a good thing, even though it was painful. Davina and Hugo deserved each other. Angelo was a nice guy, he was a good guy. He was far too good for the likes of her.

***

Realising unhappily that Maddy was going nowhere, Joey headed over to Charlie who had just parted ways from Angelo, who was fortunately alone.

"Charlie, hey," Joey greeted.

Charlie hugged her.

"It's all going pretty well, isn't it?"

Joey smiled, glad to see Charlie happy. It felt like a lifetime since she had really seen her smile.

"It's going great," she said. "Except that I need to tell you something."

"What?"

Joey glanced back at Star and Maddy.

"A um... well, not an ex exactly, a... a someone just showed up. She came with Star."

Charlie's face fell.

"Someone you've slept with is at our engagement party?"

"Kinda."

She considered pointing out that someone Charlie had slept with – Roman – was also at the party but she felt too guilty to start trying to score points.

"Great!" Charlie said sarcastically.

This was all she needed. As much as she was in a better space these days, she still hadn't followed Shelley's advice and talked to Joey about how she felt about their lack of sex life. Having an ex of Joey's at the party was only going to make her feel more insecure. Also, the fact that her father had not shown up was not lost on her, although Morag had popped her head in for half an hour to offer her solitary congratulations.

"I'm so sorry," Joey apologised. "I've told Star to get rid of her. And make sure she doesn't try and talk to you or anything."

Charlie focussed on Joey who looked so nervous about being in trouble. She couldn't really be mad at her. Leaning forward, Charlie kissed Joey's lips. For the first time in a long time, they let their kiss develop, wrapping their arms around each other.

"I love you," Joey whispered.

"I love you too," Charlie replied.

Their attention was drawn away when Davina sauntered into the Surf Club with Hugo on her arm. Leaving Charlie's side, Joey marched up to them with her fists clenched.

"Neither of you are welcome here," she said firmly.

"But we wanted to wish you our congratulations," Davina said.

"We don't want them."

Charlie looked at Joey and then back at Angelo and Watson who had both be reduced to anxious wrecks. She was grateful when Jack left Martha to help get rid of his cousin and his cousin's new girlfriend. She joined him in backing Joey up.

"Hugo, I really think you ought to leave," Jack said. "Don't ruin the party for Charlie and Joey."

"We came here to be nice," Davina protested.

"We don't believe that for a second," Joey said. "Get out."

Hugo tugged on Davina's arm, wanting to leave. The last thing he needed was another punch in the face. Reluctantly, Davina agreed to exit but she was determined that it wouldn't be the last time she caused trouble for the two women who had knocked her back, the two that she'd wanted far more than she had ever wanted Watson, Angelo or Hugo.

"Thanks, Jack," Charlie said gratefully when the gatecrashers had gone.

"No worries," Jack replied. "We all want you to have a good party."

He headed back to Martha. Charlie and Joey kissed once more and then went their separate ways to mingle with their guests.

***

Joey intended to thank Leah and Roman again for the food, which everyone was enjoying but she got stopped by Star.

"Can you introduce me to your friend?" Star asked.

She hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from Watson all night.

"Have you got rid of Maddy yet?"

"Um... no."

"Well then, um... no," Joey said sarcastically.

"What can I do?" Star pleaded. "You know she doesn't take no for an answer. I mean, you know that more than anyone."

Star tried to laugh and then realised that Joey was not laughing.

"I'll do my best," Star said.

***

"Hi there," Maddy said, approaching Charlie.

"Oh, hi," Charlie said, feeling awkward.

She looked around for Joey, hoping that she'd rescue her but she was deep in conversation with Star.

"So, you're the woman who finally got our Joey to settle down," Maddy said, gazing over at Joey also.

"Yeah, I guess so," Charlie said.

She didn't really want to talk to some fling from Joey's past.

"You must have a hell of a lot of stamina," Maddy continued.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, she's pretty insatiable in bed!"

"I... I don't really want to talk about that," Charlie protested.

"You know she dumped me because I wasn't up for sex every single night," Maddy said.

Charlie slowly began to panic. She and Joey hadn't slept together for a month. This girl was doing nothing but compounding her fears about their relationship.

"But hey, I'm sure she's not like that anymore," Maddy said.

She walked away looking very pleased with herself. Charlie remained unsettled.

***

The party had come to a close and Charlie and Joey gratefully entered their bedroom. Standing in the middle of the floor, they held each other. Joey reluctantly broke away in order to get into her pyjamas but Charlie pulled her back.

"I do love you, you know?" Charlie said.

Joey smiled and stood closer to her.

"I know," Joey said. "And I love you too."

"You do? Really?"

"Of course I do," Joey insisted. "How could that even be a question?"

Charlie moved ever closer and kissed Joey passionately, almost knocking her off her feet. It was a surprise but Joey was quick to respond. Charlie guided her back onto the bed, kissing her harder and letting her hands run all over her body. Joey kissed her back, ready for whatever Charlie was willing to give. Their physical relationship had been on hold since the night Charlie had broken down and talked about her past, although Joey relished all their cuddles and hand holding, which they seemed to do a lot more of while they weren't having sex. But she also missed the passion that had always existed between them. Charlie fumbled with Joey's clothes. Her heart was raging in her chest and her palms were sweaty from nerves. Part of her didn't feel ready to do this but she couldn't lose Joey. That woman's words were spinning through her mind. No, she couldn't let her past ruin her future and if rushing things with Joey before she was really ready was what she had to do, then so be it.

"Charlie?" Joey asked, pulling away slightly. "Charlie, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Charlie said quickly, kissing her.

When their mouths parted, Joey looked into Charlie's eyes. She searched them and found pain instead of passion there.

"Charlie," Joey said. "Please don't feel you have to..."

"It's our engagement party," Charlie said. "We're supposed to."

"Charlie, we don't have to do anything," Joey insisted. "We can just curl up and go to sleep."

"I don't want to lose you," Charlie said. "Please don't leave me."

Joey looked at her with utter bewilderment.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "I don't understand."

Charlie collapsed on top of her in defeat. She mumbled something into Joey's shoulder. Joey shifted so that they could lie side by side, still tangled up in each other. She brushed the hair out of Charlie's eyes and studied her face.

"That girl... she said that when the sex went, you did too," Charlie explained.

Joey closed her eyes and groaned.

"So you were trying to give me sex to keep me?" she asked incredulously.

Charlie nodded, feeling ashamed.

"Charlie, you're crazy," Joey said firmly. "And I'm saying that in a loving way."

She stroked Charlie's face.

"You want to know about me and Maddy?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded uncertainly.

"We went on two dates. The first was just... well, you know," Joey said awkwardly. "And the second, she gave me a key to her apartment, told me she loved me and wanted to spend the night cuddling up and watching old romantic movies. I didn't even know her last name! So I freaked and left and had to leave town a few days later anyway."

"So it wasn't what she said?"

"Not even close. How could you even think that I would leave you over something like that?"

"Well, I just thought... I've been panicking," Charlie admitted.

"Before tonight?"

Charlie nodded.

"Then why didn't you talk to me?" Joey asked.

"It never felt like the right time," Charlie said, worrying that her behaviour had messed up everything that she was trying to save.

"Charlie, when one of us is feeling insecure, we need to talk to each other. You've got to stop holding everything inside and communicate with me."

"I know. It's just... hard."

"I know," Joey said softly.

"I've just been nervous that because I can't... because I'm not ready to..."

"Charlie," Joey said firmly. "I don't mind. You're going through so much right now and all I want to do is be there for you and take care of you. I'll wait however long it takes and I'll wait patiently. I love you, Charlie and nothing in this world could ever make me not want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Charlie began to cry with relief.

"We'll do this at your pace," Joey added. "There's no hurry."

They kissed tenderly.

"Shall we curl up and sleep now?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"Thank you," she said.


	70. Chapter 70

**Chapter Seventy**

It was a month later and Charlie was finally beginning to feel settled again. She was working hard and enjoying her home time with Joey who had continued to be a rock. Therapy was going well and seemed to be helping her. She had never talked about feelings so much before. It was almost refreshing. And watching Ruby take so well to her pregnancy was wonderful. She was handling it with a maturity that was very becoming on her and she, Charlie and Joey were becoming very excited at the prospect of hearing the patter of tiny feet in seven months time. Arriving home, she found Ruby sitting at the kitchen table wiggling her hand around by bending it at the wrist. Charlie studied her sister, amused and curious.

"Okay, explain," she said, putting her bag down on a chair.

"My baby can do this now," Ruby said proudly.

Charlie smiled. Every time she saw her sister these days she was swooning over the baby. At this stage of her own pregnancy, Charlie still hadn't been able to stop crying, at least in the privacy of her room. But even though it meant that she had lost Xavier and didn't yet feel ready to tell her friends, Ruby was embracing impending motherhood.

"Apparently he's moving around at lot now," Ruby said. "According to book, he's shifting about but I can't feel him yet because he's too tiny."

"Speaking of size... and things that aren't so tiny..." Charlie ventured. "We need to go bra shopping."

Ruby looked down at her alarmingly larger bust and chewed her lip.

"It is getting a bit cramped in here," she admitted.

"Me, you and Joey for a girlie shopping trip on Saturday?" Charlie suggested.

"Sounds like a wonderful plan to me! Oh, and I think I need some new clothes too. My jeans don't fit so well."

She frowned. Charlie stood up and ruffled her hair.

"No problem," she said.

***

Saturday arrived and the girls had been happily shopping for new clothes for Ruby and they'd given in and bought some teddy bears for the baby too. Now, sitting down to lunch, Charlie and Joey exchanged glances, preparing to launch into the conversation they needed to have with the younger girl.

"We need to move out," Charlie began.

Ruby looked horrified.

"You can't!" she protested. "You can't leave me. You said you'd help me raise the baby! I can't do this without you."

Joey stepped in immediately, unable to bear the look on Ruby's face as she felt her world crashing down around her.

"Ruby, relax. 'We' mean you as well," Joey said.

"Oh," Ruby said. "Well then can we forget that I panicked? Because that's kind of humiliating."

Charlie chuckled and sipped her drink.

"We thought that having a baby in Leah's house is just going to be way too crowded. And also, we think it'd be nice to stop doing the house share thing. With Joey and I getting married, we'd like to get our own place, be grown ups."

"But I'm allowed to come too?" Ruby checked.

"Of course you are," Joey said. "We'll look for a three or maybe four bedroom place so that we three and the baby can all live there together."

Ruby smiled.

"So, when are we going to do this?" she asked.

"There's no real hurry," Charlie said. "In a few months or so."

"So, would the fourth bedroom be for your baby?" Ruby wondered.

Charlie tensed.

"Are you guys still thinking of doing that?"

Charlie glanced at Joey who took the lead.

"It's on hold for now," she explained. "We will. But we wanted to be completely there for you and your baby first. We'll start thinking about it again later."

***

On the way home, they got stuck in traffic. Hearing raucous noise nearby, Joey peered out of the window from the passenger seat. She stared in awe at the entrance to a travelling fair.

"Wow!" she said.

Charlie was both fascinated and amused. Ruby peered out of the window too from the back.

"Have you seen this?" Joey asked.

"It's just a fair," Charlie said, wondering what was so exciting.

Recovering herself, Joey sat back normally in her seat.

"Oh yeah, I know. It just looked fun."

"Well, do you want to go?" Charlie asked, fully prepared to make a detour.

"Oh, no, no, it's fine," Joey replied.

She continued to look at the entrance of the fair.

"If you want to go..."

"No," Joey said quickly.

Charlie eyed her curiously as the traffic began to move and she started forward again.

"I've never seen someone get so excited over a fair before," Charlie said. "You really like them?"

"I... I don't know," Joey said.

Ruby leant forward in her seat curiously.

"Haven't you been to one before?" she asked.

Joey suddenly felt like she was been interrogated. She froze and resisted the urge to completely clam up.

"No," she said. "I haven't."

"Please let me turn the car around so we can go!" Charlie begged.

"No," Joey said. "I don't need to go to a fair. They're probably more exciting from the outside, right?"

Ruby and Charlie exchanged glances through the rear view mirror.

"Well, maybe we could come back another day," Charlie suggested. "It'd be fun."

"Maybe," Joey shrugged, regretting showing such excitement.

It probably made her look extremely immature.

***

On Monday, Joey headed to the Surf Club for her shift behind the bar. She liked Monday's because she was on the lunch time shift with Aden. Sometimes she marvelled over the fact that they got anything done at all. They hardly stopped talking and mucking around.

***

Charlie headed across town on her lunch break to have her therapy session with Shelley. She had come to look forward to them really. Shelley was patient and she really listened even when Charlie would have been ready to diagnose herself as crazy.

"So how are things?" Shelley asked when their session began.

Charlie nodded enthusiastically.

"Pretty good," she said. "Joey, Ruby and I are thinking about moving into our own place. You know, to make room for the baby."

"And how are you feeling about the baby now?"

"Fine. It's wonderful to see Ruby taking the pregnancy so well. Every time I see her, she's really positive and happy and she memorises that baby book so she knows exactly what the baby's doing at every stage. I just wish it could have been that way for me."

"How was it for you? Your pregnancy?"

"It was hard. I couldn't concentrate on the good side of things because of how it had happened and how I had to give the baby up at the end. There was nothing joyful about it."

"Did you want to give the child away?" Shelley asked curiously.

Charlie just stared at her. She had never considered that question before.

"Yes and no," she finally said. "My Dad told me that it was the right thing to do and at twelve, I understood that being able to take care of her was almost impossible. But on the other side of the coin, no; I hated giving her away. I wanted to keep her and try to be a good Mum. Saying goodbye to her at the hospital was the hardest thing I have ever had to do."

***

At the Surf Club, Joey was distracted by an unhappy teenager sitting in the corner drinking orange juice. She couldn't help but be concerned about him. Stepping out from behind the bar, she decided to approach him and ask him if he was okay. He looked startled that she had even noticed him.

"I'm okay, thanks," he said politely.

He looked tearful.

"Are you sure? Is there anyone I can call for you?"

"No, I'm..."

He lurched in his seat. A man charged up to him.

"Where have you been?" the man demanded.

"Here," the boy replied.

Joey just looked from one to the other.

"You were meant to be home an hour ago," the man snapped. "Get up and get out."

Reluctantly, the boy got to his feet. He glanced at Joey before following who Joey could only presume was his father, out of the bar.

***

Charlie was pleased when she found Joey waiting for her in the reception of the police station.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, smiling.

"I just thought I'd come and meet you to go home together," Joey replied.

Charlie beamed and took Joey's hand, grabbing her stuff and heading to the car.

"So, how was your day?" she asked, enjoying the way the sunshine hit them.

"Yeah, it was fine," Joey said thoughtfully. "Although there was this poor boy sitting in the Surf Club all sad and alone and then his Dad dragged him home. I felt really bad for him."

Charlie frowned.

"Maybe if he comes back you can make sure he's alright," she said.

Joey nodded.

"And how was your day?" she asked. "Was therapy okay?"

"Yeah, it was really helpful actually," Charlie said. "I wanted to talk to you about something Shelley said."

"Oh?"

"She suggested that you and I go out and do something really, really fun."

Joey chuckled.

"And why did she suggest that?"

"Because everything's been so intense and you've been so amazing. She thinks we need to recapture all the fun we have together and treat ourselves."

"We still have fun, don't we?" Joey pouted.

Charlie stopped and faced her.

"Of course we do. But this should be extra fun. We won't need to worry about all of the... stuff. We can just have a day to ourselves especially for laughter and entertainment."

"Well, I don't think I'm really going to turn that down," Joey said.

The two of them climbed into the car and Charlie started the engine.

"How about we go to that fair you were interested in?" she suggested.

Joey froze.

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of somewhere else."

"You seemed really excited about it before."

"Only because I've never been to one."

Charlie began heading towards home.

"It's not that important," Joey told her.

"It'll be fun," Charlie persisted. "I haven't been to a fair in years, not since I was a kid."

"You want to go?" Joey asked.

"It looked pretty entertaining," Charlie said.

"Okay," Joey agreed. "We'll go."

"Only if you want to."

Joey reached out and held her hand.

"I want to."


	71. Chapter 71

**Chapter Seventy-One**

On Saturday morning, Charlie and Joey set off in the car for their day of fun. Joey was half nervous and half excited. Charlie was curious about her reactions.

"So, what happens at a fair?" Joey asked.

"Well there are rides and games and junk food," Charlie said.

"Are the rides scary?"

"It depends how you feel about rollercoasters."

"I don't know how I feel about them. I've only seen them on TV."

Charlie smiled at Joey affectionately. She couldn't imagine a childhood where you didn't get taken out for day trips like that. Her Dad hadn't had a whole lot of time for her, but he'd had enough to provide the odd bit of entertainment, especially after Ruby, the daughter he doted on, had arrived.

"Well, let's give them a go," Charlie said.

She pulled into a parking space and turned the engine off.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yep," Joey said brightly, her nerves beginning to dissipate.

Charlie moved to get out of the car and accidentally hit the central locking button. Joey whirled around in fright.

"Don't lock me in!" she yelped, reaching desperately for the button in order to be let out.

"Hey!" Charlie said, panicking over Joey's panic.

She flipped the button and the car unlocked again. Joey turned back to her, mortified.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"An unfortunate coincidence," Joey said. "Sorry."

"I thought you'd never been to a fair before," Charlie said quizzically.

"I haven't. I've sat outside one before."

Charlie eyed her curiously. Joey sighed and accepted that she needed to explain.

"Okay, so it was my seventh birthday and I'd pleaded to go to the fair because it looked really exciting. We went. On the way, Brett threw a drink all over himself and told my Dad that it was me. Dad was furious because he'd only just cleaned the interior of the car a couple of days before and because Brett was all sticky. As my punishment, they left me locked in the car by myself while they went to enjoy the day out. So yeah, it's an unfortunate coincidence."

"Oh, Joey," Charlie said sympathetically.

She reached for her hand, finding her tense.

"It's okay," Joey said. "I'm over it."

"Clearly!"

"Mostly."

"Are you sure you want to come here today? We can do something else if it brings back bad memories. I mean, the whole point is that we have a fun day. I don't want to upset you."

"I think I'm ready to face it again," Joey told her.

Charlie leant over and kissed her, overwhelmed with compassion for a seven year old whose birthday had been ruined. She never ever wanted Joey to feel sad or abandoned again. She wanted to spend the rest of her life loving her and showing her how good life could be. She smiled, thinking that Joey had said something very similar to her only a few weeks ago.

"Shall we?" Charlie said brightly.

Joey nodded and they climbed out of the car.

***

Hand in hand, Charlie and Joey entered the little theme park.

"Holy crap!" Joey said, looking around.

Charlie giggled, enjoying Joey's fascination.

"Better from the inside?"

Joey turned to her with wide eyes.

"Holy crap!" she said again.

She continued to repeat her words as the two of them made their way around the moderately sized park. She gazed in wonder from one ride to the next and around the stalls, clutching Charlie's hand like a child – a child with somewhat unsavoury language.

"What can we go on first?" she asked.

"Anything you want," Charlie told her.

Joey spotted the dodgems.

"Them! I have _always _wanted to try these things!"

She tugged on Charlie's hand and broke into an excited run.

***

Once they had paid their money and queued up, Charlie and Joey stepped into their bumper car. Feeling a little nervous, Joey had requested they go in the same car. Having strapped herself in, Charlie put her arm around Joey's shoulders. Joey was giggling with excitement.

"Do you want to steer?" Charlie asked.

"You can," Joey told her.

The siren went Charlie began to work her way around the floor. Joey was impressed with Charlie's steering and delighted every time they got bumped or bumped into anyone. As the adventure continued, they made cheerful friends with another two women, who looked like a couple and proceeded to chase each other round the area, crashing into each other every moment they got. Joey's face fell when it ended.

"You want to go again, don't you?" Charlie said.

"Yes, please!"

They persuaded the attendant to let them stay on but this time, Joey bounded into her own car to see if she could drive for herself.

"It's just like steering a boat," she told herself before looking up and grinning at Charlie.

This was war! Their turn began again for the next few minutes, Charlie and Joey chased each other round the small floor, laughing hysterically at every turn.

***

Once they were off the ride, they took each other's hands and looked around at what they wanted to go on next. Joey stopped and stared at a large rollercoaster.

"Holy crap!" she said again.

It was clearly becoming the catchphrase of the day. Charlie led her towards it. Joey didn't take her eyes off the ride as they queued. The premise was that you would ride in a little car shaped like a mouse and run all over the track. The ride went pretty high and looked a little violent at the top. Joey kept hold of Charlie's hand as they climbed inside their little mouse. Beside them, were a mother and daughter, who looked nervous. The ride started and the girls looked out at the world below them as they made their way up the track.

"Holy crap!" Joey screeched when they reached the top of the track and started being thrust around from one edge of the ride to the other. Each time they reached a corner, it felt like the ride wasn't going to stop in time and they would be thrown into oblivion but right at the last minute, they were saved.

"Holy schmoley!" the mother and daughter cried once they had started spinning in circles before being hurled down a sharp incline.

The foursome cheered and as they enjoy the ride's exhilarating turns, dipping and soaring and making them laugh and scream all at the same time.

"I can't believe you dragged me onto this thing!" Joey wheezed when they went down their final dip.

"Hey! You wanted to!" Charlie protested.

The ride stopped.

"Let's do it again!" Joey said.

The mother and daughter escaped and Charlie and Joey stepped out with shaking legs.

"Maybe we should do something else first!" Charlie said.

Joey nodded. It sounded like a good idea.

"Come on everyone! Try the bucking bronco!" yelled a voice as they walked past a smaller stall.

"Ladies?" the young man asked with a charming smile. "Can I tempt you?"

Charlie studied the bull in the middle of the cushioned floor.

"Dare you," Joey said with a smirk.

"You're on," Charlie said.

She had never been one to walk away from a challenge. Paying her money, she attempted to climb onto the bull, only to fall off the other side of it and land in a heap. Joey snorted with laughter from the sidelines.

"That so doesn't count!" Charlie hollered. "I'm still wobbly from the last ride we did."

***

Hungry, Charlie and Joey wandered around the park. Charlie's pride was still dented from only lasting a maximum of two seconds on the bull and Joey was still giggling about it. They located a burger bar, ordered their food and sat down on a nearby bench.

"This is so much fun!" Joey declared. "I want to stay here forever!"

"Don't tell me you're going to run off with the fair," Charlie said with mock concern.

"Okay, no," Joey said. "We can go home. Eventually."

They tucked into their food. Charlie studied Joey's delight at her surroundings and she was partly elated to be witnessing it and partly distraught yet again over the lousy childhood Joey had had. How could a parent treat a little girl like that, especially on her birthday? To go out for your birthday and get locked in the car while your parents took your brother out instead was just so awful. She was disgusted by every little thing that Joey shared with her about her childhood.

"What's on your mind?" Joey asked, noting the serious expression on Charlie's face.

Charlie smiled.

"Nothing," she said. "I was just thinking."

"About?"

"I'm so thrilled to be sharing this with you but so sad that this is the first time you've ever been to a place like this," Charlie said.

Joey reached for her hand.

"It's okay, Charlie. I mean, all that was a while ago. And I'm happier now than I was ever sad as a kid," she said. "And that's all because of you."

Charlie blushed and held tighter onto Joey's hand.

"Thank you for making my life better," Joey said.

"And thank you for doing the same for mine," Charlie replied.

***

A short while later, Charlie and Joey were in the queue for an old, dilapidated ghost train.

"Will it be frightening?" Joey asked.

"Well, that's kind of the point but... no," Charlie said. "These things are pretty lame but they're pretty funny too."

Joey didn't look convinced. Stepping up in the queue, they finally climbed into their car. The ride started as they burst through a door that read 'enter at your peril' and were then plunged into darkness. Joey shrieked.

"I don't like it!" she declared, gripping Charlie for all she was worth.

Charlie just smiled and watched models of ghouls and skeletons jump out at them. They felt traces of what Charlie presumed was meant to be cobwebs run over their bodies and got squirted with water.

"It's not so bad," Joey said, beginning to settle.

"You've got your eyes shut, haven't you?" Charlie realised.

"Yep," Joey confirmed.

Charlie chuckled and put her arm around her girlfriend.

"Sweetheart, open up," she said. "It's not scary."

A figure dropped down right in front of them. Charlie screamed loudly. Joey opened her eyes and peered through the darkness at Charlie.

"Okay, maybe it's a little scary," Charlie admitted, suddenly feeling unnerved.

As they reached the end of the ride and came out into the open air, they hurried made themselves look brave, pretending to all the kids and their parents still queuing that they hadn't been affected at all.

***

Still a little unnerved, Charlie decided they ought to console themselves with the merry go round. It was one of the only rides that Joey had ever been on before. A few years ago, she'd lived at a beach resort that had one on the seafront. She for one, found them very exciting. The attendant found the women very amusing. They were the only adults on the ride without children and this prompted several smirks. On their horses, side by side, Charlie and Joey decided to give her more to smirk about by exuberantly enjoying the ride, whooping and shrieking and pretending to race each other. The woman chuckled at them when they clambered off.

"Now, do you want to go on the bigger rollercoaster?" Charlie asked, looking up at the hulk above them. It was a simple enough ride, racing round the track and turning in a loop.

"Won't we fall out?" Joey asked worriedly, eyeing the loop.

"No, we'll be locked in, plus we'll go through the loop so quickly that we won't have time."

Still a little dubious, Joey followed Charlie into the queue.

***

"I think I may need chiropractic treatment after that!" Joey announced when they got off the ride.

It had been short and swift, very vigorous and bordering on violent. They were distracted by Pink music playing very loudly nearby. Grinning at each other, they held hands again and headed over. Above them were a bunch of carriages on long arms that spun round in a great big circle, rising and falling at random intervals.

"Shall we?" Charlie asked excitedly.

She loved these kinds of rides. After waiting in line for ten minutes, they hopped on board, strapping themselves in. The attended pulled a bar down across them, ready for everyone on board to take off. Slowly, they spun around, rising higher and higher. The next few minutes involved spinning round and dropping and climbing back up again. Elated, Joey got the giggles, which infected Charlie immediately. As the ride began to slow down a little, they passed the ghost train. Joey spotted a skeleton jumping out of the house of horror. Amused, she pointed. Just as Charlie was peering at it, they suddenly dropped far and quickly. Charlie cried out in surprise. Embarrassed, she turned to Joey.

"Don't distract me with skeletons!" she yelled above the noise, making Joey start laughing all over again.

***

The women stopped at the Diner on their way home from the fair and they couldn't stop talking about all the fun they had had.

"You girls look happy," Colleen commented curiously when she came to take their order.

"We've been at a funfair!" Joey told her enthusiastically.

"Oh, I never could do fairground rides," Colleen replied. "Hurt my back."

"They're awesome!" Joey said.

She was positively giddy with excitement. They ordered their meals, thanked Colleen and then devoted all their attention back to each other. They had been clasping hands for most of the day and hadn't stopped since they left. Charlie looked down at their hands on the table top. She ran her thumb over Joey's and silently remembered to thank Shelley for her wonderful idea. It had been exactly what they both needed, just to kick back and relax with each other. It had been a place where they could enjoy each other's company, laugh to the extreme and let go of their pain.

"I really had the most amazing day," Joey said more seriously, gazing into Charlie's eyes.

"So did I," Charlie said. "It was so much fun and of course, the company was exquisite."

Joey blushed and smiled.

"Of course," she said with false confidence. "And hey, I'm no longer a fair virgin."

"Sweetheart, you haven't been a fair virgin for a long time," Charlie quipped.

Joey poked her tongue out.

"Smart arse," she pouted.

"And yet you love me anyway!"

Joey continued to gaze into her partner's eyes.

"Yeah," she said sincerely. "I really do. Charlie, you make my life complete. I didn't... I didn't know it was possible to feel the way I do right now. I thought that was for fairy tales and sappy movies but you truly do make me so happy, far happier than I deserve."

"There's no such thing as 'happier than you deserve', Joey. You're the most incredible person I have ever met and you deserve every ounce of happiness in the world. I don't really understand what you see in me half the time but if I do make you feel happy then I'm glad. That makes me happy."

Joey lifted Charlie's hand and kissed it. Colleen approached, loudly announcing her presence as she brought them there food. Barely noticing her, they offered their thanks and continued looking at each other adoringly across the table.

"I know... I know things haven't been easy lately," Charlie ventured. "But I think they're getting better."

"Are you feeling better?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"The whole thing shook me up pretty badly... obviously. But I'm getting there. I feel like I'm starting to be able to put the past behind me. And so much of that is thanks to you."

"Me?"

"You have been amazing, Joey," Charlie said. "Even Shelley says so and she's never met you. I couldn't have got through all this without you. You've been so strong, so loving and so patient. I couldn't have asked for more. You're my rock. I have no idea what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," Joey said.

She kissed Charlie's hand again, taking a moment to look at the engagement ring she'd bought her. Then they began to tuck into their meal.

***

That night, in their pyjamas, Joey and Charlie retired to bed, each with a hot chocolate. Once they had finished their drinks, Charlie clicked off the lamp and leant across the mattress in order to kiss Joey goodnight. She melted into the softness of Joey's lips, so familiar and so exhilarating in equal measure. She encouraged the kiss to develop, opening her mouth and welcoming Joey inside. Thrilled but tentative, Joey eased her arms around Charlie's slender frame. Charlie guided her back onto the pillow, leaning over her and kissing her deeply. She traced her fingertips down Joey's side and felt Joey shiver beneath her. It was the most passionate kiss they had shared for a while and Joey tried not to get over excited. She knew she needed to let Charlie take the lead and not be rushed into anything she wasn't comfortable with. It was just hard to control herself when she was being kissed by the sexiest woman in the world. Slowly drawing away, Charlie's eyes focussed in the dimness of the room.

"Is that okay?" she asked.

"Mmm..." Joey managed. "Very okay."

"I don't know how far..." Charlie said unhappily.

"There's no hurry," Joey assured her. "We can just kiss."

Charlie nodded, lowered her head and kissed Joey again.

***

_I hope you've enjoyed Charlie and Joey's day out. The rides are based on those at Brighton Pier – no copyright or such things intended. And I have to dedicate this chapter to Chuffy. Many of the more amusing aspects of this chapter are based on going to Brighton Pier with her. I just had to write it all down! IJKS xxx_


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter Seventy-Two**

Joey stepped out from behind the bar. The young lad she had been seeing for weeks was sitting in his corner. Approaching with caution, Joey brought him a refill of orange juice and sat down next to him. He looked at her in surprise.

"On the house," she said kindly.

He smiled gratefully and accepted the drink.

"Thanks," he said.

"What's your name?" Joey asked.

"Billy."

"Hi, Billy. My name's Joey."

"Pleased to meet you," Billy said politely.

"Is everything okay, Billy?" Joey ventured.

He chewed his lip and studied his drink, playing with the straw.

"It's just that every day when you come in here, you look so sad. I've been worrying about you."

"You've noticed me?" he asked incredulously.

Joey nodded.

"I didn't think anyone noticed me except to hate me," he told her.

"If you need help, you can tell me," Joey said. "I'll do whatever I can."

He looked like he wanted to talk and then looked up at the doorway. Joey turned to see the same man from the other week standing there gesturing to him.

"I have to go," Billy said, his voice full of disappointment.

"Well, if you need anything then you can just come back here to find me. And if I'm not here, ask for me and someone can give me a call."

He nodded and stood to exit.

"Thanks, Joey."

***

Charlie and Watson ate in the Diner for lunch. Just as they were leaving, Charlie asked Watson if they could pop in and see Joey at the Surf Club for a few moments. Watson agreed and they headed inside. Joey was behind the bar talking to a woman. When she turned round, Charlie recognised Star.

"Hey, sweetheart," Charlie said to Joey.

She leant across the bar and stole a quick kiss.

"Hey, Star."

"Hi, Charlie. How's it going?"

Charlie nodded and shrugged. She had nothing terribly exciting to report. Star suddenly sat up straighter when she spotted Watson behind her. She glanced at Joey, silently begging for an introduction. Taking the hint, Joey grinned.

"Watson, have you met Star?" she asked.

"Um... I think I've seen you in passing but we haven't been introduced."

The women shook hands. Star couldn't help but think that Watson looked particularly attractive in uniform. As the two women got talking, Charlie and Joey broke away.

"Am I seeing chemistry?" Charlie asked quietly.

"I think so," Joey nodded.

"So, how is your day going?"

"I saw that boy again. We actually got talking this time but then his Dad took him away," Joey told her.

Charlie was about to speak when her phone rang.

"Sorry," she said to Joey, moving away to answer her phone.

Joey watched Charlie talk into the phone and heard her say that she and Watson would be 'right there'.

"Watson, we've got to go," Charlie said, hanging up the phone. "Hostage situation."

Joey looked alarmed and reached out to Charlie.

"Will you be safe?" she asked urgently.

"Yes," Charlie assured her. "I'll ring when I'm done to reassure you, okay?"

Joey nodded gratefully and kissed her girlfriend goodbye. Giving Star a lingering look, Watson followed her colleague out of the door. When they were gone, Joey turned back to Star.

"So?" she grinned.

***

"Billy, you need to let your Dad get back to safety," Charlie said.

The boy shook his head but the fact that he hadn't pushed his father off the cliff already gave Charlie hope for negotiation.

"No!" Billy said, cursing himself for even engaging with the cops instead of just following through with his plan.

"If you step down and let him go, everything will be fine," Charlie told him.

"No it won't!" he snapped. "I'm just going to go back to the same hellish life I had before."

Charlie sighed and glanced at Watson.

"If you're having problems, Billy, we can talk about them once you let your father go. We can sort them out," she persisted.

"No you can't," he replied, his voice catching. "Nobody can help me."

***

Finishing her shift, Joey decided to go for a walk. She hadn't been able to stop fretting about Charlie going into a potentially dangerous situation. She supposed it was a drawback of dating a cop. Any time, any place, Charlie could be in danger. Joey had of course learnt that the hard way. She knew Ruby felt the same; they had talked about it many times. As she wandered along, enjoying the cool breeze she glanced up ahead. Just ahead of her, where she was venturing towards the cliffs, she spotted a police car and a handful of people. She instantly worried about Charlie. Venturing closer, she saw Charlie and Watson talking to a couple of people on the edge of the cliff.

"Joey," Watson said, spotted her. "You can't be here."

"What's...?"

Joey looked towards the edge.

"Billy!" she exclaimed without thinking.

Billy looked at her with terror in her eyes. Charlie also glanced in her direction.

"You know him?" she asked.

"He's the boy from the Surf Club," Joey explained.

She noted the tears in Billy's eyes. He didn't really want to be up there any more than anyone else did.

"Joey?" he squeaked.

Over the few weeks or so, Joey had been paying attention to him. She was the only one who seemed to care.

"Yeah, Billy, it's me. What are you doing up here?"

"I'm trying to make everything stop."

Watson glanced at Charlie, wondering if they should pull Joey back but Charlie stopped her.

"Let her try," she said.

"Make what stop, Billy?"

"Everything! You don't know what he's like, what's been going on."

"Well, why don't you tell me?" Joey suggested. "Maybe I can help make it stop without you having to do anything so drastic."

"He's been beating me for years," Billy burst out. "Me and Mum!"

"I have not!" Billy's father, Frank denied.

"Shut up!" Billy shouted.

"I think you're better off not talking right now," Joey said to Frank.

She returned to give Billy her full attention. Charlie and Watson watched from just behind her.

"Living with him is hell. If I just... if I can get rid of him..." Billy faltered.

"Okay," Joey said, worrying about what to say. "Look, I know it's terrible and you're in an awful situation."

"What do you know?" he snapped. "You don't know anything."

"I know what it's like to be treated badly by a parent who's supposed to care about you," Joey revealed.

She glared at Billy's Dad who was held firmly in Billy's grip. He looked terrified.

"You know?" Billy asked sceptically.

Joey nodded.

"Staying off school because you have to hide the bruises? Wondering what the hell is so unlovable about you?"

Billy nodded in recognition.

"But there's nothing wrong with you," Joey informed him. "All this, this is his fault not yours. And now it's time to show him exactly what you're made of."

"I am!" Billy said. "That's why we're up here."

"No, that's why you need to let him go and come towards me," Joey told him.

He looked confused and waited for her to explain.

"If you go ahead with what you're planning then you're just like him. You're being the person he's tried to mould you into. And you're not that person," Joey said urgently. "You're better than that. You're better than him. And if you do what I'm asking you to, you'll prove that. You'll be the better man."

Billy looked like he was absorbing what she said.

"I step down and then what?" he asked curiously.

"Then we help you – me and Charlie and Watson. That's what we're here for. We want to help you," Joey said.

"I don't have a life now after what he's been doing to me," Billy said, growing more emotional.

"You will," Joey said certainly. "I did. If I can do it, you can."

"What did you do?" Billy wanted to know.

"I left home and I got the life I wanted. I came from shit but I'm so happy now, Billy. I left my family and made something of myself. Maybe working in a bar isn't much to some people but it's good enough for me. I have a home, a partner, a new family who actually love me... I've got everything I could ever want."

"Are you lying?" Billy asked.

"I swear to you," Joey replied sincerely. "This doesn't have to be it for you, Billy. If you go ahead, you'll only make things worse. If you leave this now, you can start again and you'll have support in doing that."

Billy stared at her, then Charlie and Watson and then down at his father. He wanted to trust what Joey said but he was too afraid.

"I hate you," he told his Dad.

"Billy..."

Billy shoved his father hard. Frank screamed and the women lurched forward quickly before they realised that Billy had thrown him forward onto the ground instead of backwards into oblivion. Tearfully, Billy dropped to his knees. Joey rushed forward and skidded onto her own knees, reaching out to hold him. He cried hard in her arms. Watson hurried to check on Frank who was crawling away, desperately afraid. Charlie looked at the scene before her and realised that she had been holding her breath. Slowly, she crept towards Joey and Billy. She reached out tentatively and both she and Joey guided him to his feet.

"I want to press charges!" Frank hollered.

Billy tensed immediately and looked set to run. Charlie held on tightly, preventing him from going anywhere.

"I'm really sorry, Billy," she said with genuine compassion. "I need to take you to the station for questioning."

"You said everything will be okay!" Billy accused Joey who looked helpless.

"Charlie, does he have to?" she asked.

"It shouldn't take too long," was all Charlie could reply.

"It'll be okay," Joey promised, unsure of whether she was telling the truth. "I'll come with you if you life."

Billy nodded, frightened of what was to come.

***

The next couple of hours were stressful for all parties. Billy and Frank were being interviewed separately and Frank was determined to get his son prosecuted. Joey was fretting in reception, barely comforted by Angelo's constant cups of tea. Charlie was running between father and son trying to figure out how to solve the situation. Exiting Billy's interview room, she was blocked by Joey.

"What's happening to him?" she asked.

Charlie hated the look of desperation in her partner's eye.

"Frank wants him charged. I don't have any choice."

"But... but he had good reason!"

"Good reason to try and murder somebody?" Charlie questioned.

"Well, no," Joey sighed. "But people do desperate things at desperate times. He... he didn't mean it."

"Look, I know you have an affinity with this boy but my hands are tied, Joey," Charlie said, trying to be kind.

"Can't you try? After what his Dad's been doing to him... can't you try?" Joey pleaded.

Charlie looked at her heartbroken expression. She sighed and closed her eyes. Opening up, she touched Joey's shoulders.

"Give me a second," she said, hurrying in to see Frank.

He looked up when she opened the door and noted how stressed she looked. Seating herself, Charlie rested her hands on the table.

"Do you really want to prosecute your son?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

"Yes," he scowled. "You know what he tried to do to me. You were there!"

"And what did you do to provoke him?" Charlie asked.

He turned pink, his scowl getting fouler.

"What the hell has that got to do with anything?"  
"Well, it's just that it'll be brought up during his trial," she explained. "Billy will be given a chance to explain himself and I doubt he'd hide anything that you may have done to him and his mother over the years."

Frank swallowed, never breaking eye contact.

"And I'm sure there'll be evidence. I'm sure medical records and such will back up his story. You can't hide that kind of thing, not forever. Do you really want to take the risk of being exposed for what you are?"

Frank glared at her and then looked down at the table, drumming his fingers on it. Finally, he stood up.

"Thank you for your time, Senior Constable Buckton," he said politely, before hurrying from the room.

***

Outside, Joey sat up. She watched Frank burst through the door and practically run out of the station. Charlie followed. Joey jumped to her feet.

"He dropped the charges," Charlie said triumphantly.

"What... what did you say to him?" Joey asked.

"I'll explain later. Do you want to come with me to tell Billy he can go?"

***

That night, Charlie and Joey had dinner together at the Diner, both exhausted from the emotion of the day. Charlie had carefully explained how she had convinced Frank to drop the charges and assured Joey that she'd referred Billy to child services and that they were housing and helping him. They hadn't stopped talking about it all night and were now walking home together hand in hand.

"I am so proud of you," Charlie admitted.

"Proud?" Joey asked.

"I'm trained to fix those kinds of situation but I wasn't getting anywhere. It was you who solved it. You saved Frank's life and you helped Billy."

"I just did what anyone would do," Joey said modestly.

"It might be what anyone would want to do but it's not what many people are able to," Charlie corrected her. "You were amazing."

"Well then my childhood wasn't in vain," Joey said, blushing in the moonlight. "I'm glad I could help."

"Absolutely amazing," Charlie said with a big smile. "I really am so proud."

Joey couldn't help but feel pleased with herself. She leant into Charlie as they walked together.


	73. Chapter 73

**Chapter Seventy-Three**

At home that night, Charlie observed Joey getting changed in the middle of the room. She smiled as she saw Joey strip off her shirt and place it on the chair that seemed to double up as a wardrobe for both of them. Charlie admired Joey's figure as she stood there in a bra and jeans and before she really knew what she was doing, she'd headed across the room and unhooked Joey's bra for her. Surprised, Joey turned around and smiled, letting the garment fall to the floor. Charlie couldn't help but admire her perfect body. Bending slightly, Charlie captured Joey's nipple in her mouth, teasing it with her tongue. Joey moaned, excited at the touch. She wrapped her arms around Charlie, pulling her close and working her fingers into her hair as Charlie played. Keeping contact, Charlie moved Joey to lie on the bed, paying attention to Joey's other breast with her hand. Joey wasn't sure where this had come from so suddenly but she was thrilled. She gently reached down to start working on the buttons of Charlie's uniform. Having gone to dinner straight from work, Charlie hadn't had a chance to get changed yet. Charlie sat up slightly, releasing Joey from her mouth and allowing her to pull her shirt open.

"Are you sure?" Joey checked.

"I'm very, very sure," Charlie confirmed.

With her shirt open and her bra exposed, she allowed Joey to run her fingertips up and down her body. She cupped Charlie's breasts and pulled the cups down, exposing two of the things Joey had missed touching so much. Sitting herself back up, she nuzzled in closer, paying the same kind of attention to Charlie as she had just received from her. Charlie smiled happily, wondering why she had left it so long to be with Joey. She allowed Joey to roll them over so that Charlie was lying on her back. Joey showered her body with kisses, exploring every area of bare flesh. Reaching her waist, she fumbled with the button and zip of Charlie's trousers, undoing them and moving off the bed to pull them off. She was still a little nervous of going too far and upsetting Charlie but so far, her girlfriend didn't show any signs of wanting to stop. Moving back up, Joey kissed her just once over her underwear and then settled beside her, resting her head on her palm. She gazed into Charlie's eyes before kissing her and letting her free hand slip down between her legs. Charlie arched her back and lifted her hips to meet her, relishing the familiar feel of Joey's touch. While her fingers settled to where both of them wanted them to be, she settled her mouth back on Charlie's breast. Charlie gave in to every sensation Joey was providing.

***

Once Charlie had recovered, she had thrown herself into kissing Joey passionately. Tears trickled down her face. Noticing, Joey drew back.

"Was it that bad?" she tried to joke.

"It was that good," Charlie corrected her. "I'm just feeling a little emotional about being able to be with you again. Sorry."

Joey kissed her firmly.

"Apologising is not an option," she said.

She'd been aware of the issues the entire time. She had been a little nervous and been careful not to slip her fingers inside her in case it wasn't okay. But she was thrilled that everything had gone smoothly and felt quite emotional herself. In the months that they hadn't been intimate, she'd realised that she missed pleasing Charlie more than anything else. And she wasn't sated yet. Kissing Charlie's mouth once and letting it linger, she slowly slipped down Charlie's body and positioned herself between her legs. Charlie lay back and enjoyed the sensations as Joey let her mouth run wild. Just as she was heading towards climax, she felt Joey's fingers tentatively seek permission to enter her. She pushed against them, granting her wish. A few minutes later, as Joey continued to work softly and tenderly, Charlie was in ecstasy. Joey continued until she felt Charlie begin to settle and then lay beside her. Their bodies were hot, perspiring a little. They clung to each other.

"You know, we really haven't made use of your uniform since we got together this time," Joey mused, playing with the buttons.

"Oh yeah," Charlie grinned. "I'd forgotten how much you liked it."

"What's not to like?" Joey asked. "You look so hot in it!"

Charlie giggled and stroked Joey's hair. She couldn't help blushing.

"Do you remember the games we played with it at the hotel the second time we met?" she asked.

"Remember? Are you kidding me? It was my screensaver during our time apart."

"Your screensaver?" Charlie queried.

"The image I always went back to whenever I was unhappy, bored, horny or all of the above."

Charlie snorted with laughter and kissed the top of Joey's head.

"I think my screensaver must be that striptease," she decided. "Speaking of, don't think I've forgotten about your lap dance promise."

Joey giggled.

"You can have it whenever you want it," she promised.

Charlie pulled Joey on top of her, kissing her with renewed fire. Joey straddled her and both their hands began to explore. Kissing her again, Charlie noted Joey's position of kneeling over her. Grinning, she slipped down the bed underneath her until she was between Joey's parted legs. She kissed her thighs and gripped her behind, pulling her down a little further until she could return all the joy that Joey had brought her that night already. Finally feeling Charlie's lips on her again was exhilarating to say the least. She succumbed to every spark and thrill that rushed through her body and her soul. As orgasm approached, she fell forward slightly, unable to support her own weight as her body began to shake and her mind began to buzz. She reached onto the headboard to keep herself as upright as possible and when she had finally calmed down, she moved to lie beside her lover again. This night was pure bliss for both of them.


	74. Chapter 74

**Chapter Seventy-Four**

Joey woke up entangled with Charlie. Memories of the night before flooded her brain and she smiled happily to herself. It was amazing to have Charlie completely with her again. She was impressed with how easily she had been able to switch her libido off for the past few months. It was hard when she was engaged to such an incredible woman. But she had managed and last night had been the best reward she could ever have been granted. She felt like they had reconnected both physically and emotionally and that now they may be able to start moving on from Charlie's haunted past. It had been excruciating to see her in that much pain and she was proud of her for starting to recover. She watched Charlie's eyes flutter open and immediately began to kiss her softly on the mouth, cheek, forehead and everywhere else that felt appropriate.

"Mmm," Charlie breathed, smiling.

Joey kissed her lips again.

"Are you awake?" she asked, her voice low.

"Just about," Charlie replied.

"Good!"

Joey quickly disappeared beneath the blanket.

***

A short while later, Joey resurfaced and lay back against the pillows, hot and exhausted. Charlie laughed. She was also perspiring.

"Well, that was a wake up call and a half," she commented.

"What can I say? You're too good to resist," Joey replied. "Although you have officially worn me out. I ache all over from last night!"

"Me too! Hey, maybe we could take a sick day and stay in bed."

"And exhaust ourselves even more?" Joey asked, raising her eyebrows mischievously.

"You are incorrigible!"

"Okay," Joey said, sighing dramatically. "How about we get up and ready quick and then we can go for breakfast at the Diner together before work?"

Charlie kissed her quickly.

"Sounds like a good plan. Do you want first shower?"

"We could always shower together," Joey suggested.

"Then we will never get out of the house!"

***

Joey kissed Charlie goodbye at the Diner, aware that Colleen was eyeing them as usual.

"Have a good day at work," Joey said, holding onto her hand.

"And you. I'll try and pop by the Surf Club on my break."

Joey smiled at Charlie's departing back, thinking yet again how becoming the uniform was on her. The figure hugging trousers particularly accentuated her bottom and Joey was definitely a fan of that.

"Hi," said a voice.

She looked up, surprised to find Miles hovering over her. Joey didn't know him that well but he seemed like a lovely guy. Charlie thought he was nice and Joey thought he was a good guy purely on the basis of him fostering waifs and strays. She could have done with someone like him when she was a kid.

"I um... I heard about what happened yesterday," he ventured. "And I was wondering if we could talk."

"Oh, well Charlie knows more than me," Joey said.

"It was actually you I wanted to talk about."

"Oh!" she said, surprised.

"Do you mind if I sit?" he asked.

She gestured for him to do so. He did, running his hands through his unruly hair.

"I heard that you were the one that talked Billy down," Miles said.

He knew him from his job at the school.

"Well, um..."

Joey felt suddenly bashful.

"I just... It wasn't much. I just talked to him."

"Exactly!" Miles said. "You've got a skill there, Joey."

"And that's important, why?" Joey asked curiously.

"Well, I don't know if you've heard about it or not but I'm re-opening the old youth centre soon."

"Yeah, Charlie said something about that."

"And I think you'd be an amazing addition to the team."

"Me?" Joey said a little too loudly, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes, you," Miles enthused. "You'd be brilliant."

"But I don't have any qualifications," Joey objected.

Her hands were growing clammy.

"I mean, I barely finished high school. I don't know anything about that kind of work. I'm really flattered but I don't think I'd be an amazing anything."

Miles realised that there needed to be some persuasion. He leant forward slightly, clasping his hands together.

"The fact that you talked that boy down and basically saved two lives without any kind of training or experience is what makes me think you'd be perfect," he said.

Joey opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She was flabbergasted that Miles would even consider her for something like this.

"Well, I was just lucky really. I mean, it was just because we had similar experiences and he kind of trusted me already because I'd spoken to him a couple of times before."

"Is that a 'no'?" he asked, so disappointed.

"It's an 'I don't want you to make a huge mistake with me'," she corrected him.

"What about a trial run?" he suggested.

He hadn't stopped hearing reports from various locals about what she did and how much of a difference she had made to Billy's life. Billy was going to be temporarily housed with him and his clan so he was sure to hear even more stories later. Joey chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"Can I think about it?" she finally asked.

She wanted to discuss it with Charlie before she made any kind of decision. Charlie knew her well enough to be able to figure out if she would be good at this kind of thing or not. Joey trusted her judgement.

"Of course you can," Miles said, glad to have got somewhere, even if it wasn't a yes yet.

Joey smiled at him.

"Thank you for thinking of me," she said sincerely.

He stood up and smiled.

"I really hope you'll go for it, Joey," he told her before he left.

***

On her lunch break, Charlie eagerly hurried to the Surf Club to see Joey. After the night before, she hated being apart from her even for a little while. Smiling when she spotted Charlie, Joey nudged Aden and said that she was going for her break too.

"You're released?" Charlie asked hopefully.

"I delayed my lunch break to fit with yours," Joey explained. "Beach?"

Charlie nodded and the two of them headed out together.

***

Sitting down on the sand together, they opened the take away sandwiches they had stopped off to buy from the Diner.

"I have some news," Joey ventured. "Kind of. I need your advice really."

"What is it?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Miles offered me a job at the new youth centre."

Charlie looked immediately thrilled.

"Wow!" she said. "That's brilliant!"

She put her sandwich down and enveloped Joey into a hug. Startled by her enthusiasm, Joey just about managed to hug her back.

"What's the job?" Charlie asked.

"He wants me to start working with the kids that come in and stuff."

Joey was still unconvinced about the whole thing. The idea of her guiding people's lives was terrifying. She wasn't qualified. The only experience she had were things that had happened to her.

"You would be so perfect," Charlie decided.

"Do you really think so?" Joey asked, screwing up her face.

"Yes! Yesterday proved that, even if I hadn't thought it before. You really know how to talk to people, Joey. You can relate to them, understand them, get them to open up."

Joey looked baffled.

"Why doesn't anyone care that I don't have qualifications?" she wondered, staring at Charlie intently. "My highest exam grade from school was because I was sleeping with the teacher. I've never had a long-term job. I can't even spell big words!"

"Well, you won't have to write to them," Charlie grinned. "Just talk to them and help them."

"But what if I mess it up?"

"You won't," Charlie said certainly.

"But..."

"Joey, I saw you yesterday. I saw what that boy meant to you and how happy you were when you helped him, when you saved him. How amazing would it be to make that kind of difference to people's lives every day?"

Joey chewed her lip, pondering what Charlie had just said. It had felt good, if a little scary to help Billy and she would like to spend her life helping people, especially teenagers who were suffering. She could relate only too well. She nodded, slowly starting to come round to the idea.

"You surprise me," Charlie said.

Joey turned to look at her curiously.

"Well, you're normally so confident. This is a really different side to you, being so unsure of yourself."

Joey shrugged.

"It's just... bar work, boat work, gardening... stuff like that, I can do. But this... this is... I mean, this would be..."

She didn't have the words to explain exactly what it would be. Charlie reached for her hand.

"It would be something you're born to do," she said.

"Do you honestly think so?" Joey asked. "Or is your judgement clouded because you love me?"

"I honestly think you'd be great at this. And obviously I'm not the only one."

"I think I might say yes," Joey said.

Charlie broke into a smile, leant across and kissed her. Joey giggled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Charlie who immediately guided her backwards onto the sand. Charlie moved to cover Joey's body with her own, kissing her passionately. Their tongues began to caress each other and beneath Charlie, Joey's hands began to wander. She stroked Charlie's breasts over her uniform, fighting the urge to start tearing it off. Giving in, she fumbled with the first few buttons and un-tucked it from her trousers. Charlie was vaguely aware that she was in uniform and should not be groping her girlfriend in public but she couldn't quite bring herself to care. Leaning in closer, she nuzzled into Joey's neck and enjoyed the feel of Joey's fingertips on her body beneath her shirt. They broke apart when they heard a wolf whistle.

"Angelo!" Charlie scolded when they spotted him grinning at them.

"Lesbians," he greeted cheerfully.

"Move on!" Charlie ordered.

Nodding and still grinning, he started walking again.

"Don't get caught by anyone other than me!" he called back.

Charlie sighed.

"I guess we'd better stop," she said.

"I guess," Joey said, obviously grumpy.

Charlie kissed her again.

"I just can't seem to stop kissing you!"

"Then don't."

They kissed one more time.

"But we have to get back to our jobs..."

Joey waved a dismissive hand and pulled Charlie down on top of her.

"Just a few more minutes," she whispered.

***

"So, will we be okay?" Xavier asked shyly.

He and Ruby were walking along the surf together with their shoes in their hands.

"Yeah," Ruby said. "We're going to be perfect."

Her mind was reeling with joy and shock. Xavier had approached her at school after such a long time of not talking. She'd agreed to go for a walk with him and he had hurriedly declared his undying love and promised to be there for her and the baby. Elated, she pulled him in for a hug. He accepted happily and then pulled back with a strange expression on his face.

"What?"

"Is that your sister?" he asked, pointing further up the beach.

Ruby growled. Charlie, in uniform, was straddling who Ruby could only presume was Joey as they indulged in a heavy make out session. She rolled her eyes.

"Do those two ever leave each other alone?" she wondered aloud.

***

Joey moaned against Charlie's mouth as they smothered each other with kisses.

"You know, I could pretty much go for it right now," she admitted, a little breathless.

"Mmm... me too," Charlie said, continuing to let her hands wander. "But we should stop. We both have to get back to work. And I could get into serious trouble for just doing _this_!"

Sighing, they pulled away from each other. Charlie stood up and tucked herself back in, making herself presentable again. Joey sorted herself out too and giggling, they stood up. Reluctantly parting, they kissed one more time.

"Cancel all your plans tonight, Ms Collins," Charlie called back to her. "We're having an early night."

"You're on!" Joey called back.

***

Watson smirked at Charlie who had a very smug smile on her face. Her hair was also somewhat ruffled, which indicated that she had been naughty on her lunch break. Aside from being slightly disturbing, Watson was pleased. For the past few weeks, a few months in fact, Charlie hadn't been herself. She hadn't even been the way she was before Joey arrived in town and swept her off her feet. She was just fragile and vulnerable. It had been unnerving. But it seemed that whatever had distressed her was over and she and Joey were back to their normal, excitable selves.

***

"Hi, Miles," Joey greeted when he arrived at the Surf Club.

"Hey, Joey. Have you thought about my offer?" he asked, leaning against the bar.

"I have actually," Joey said, looking around to make sure Alf wasn't nearby. "And I'd like to go for it if it's still open."

Miles smiled widely at her.

"It's absolutely open. You'd be a great asset to the team," he said.

"Great! Well, we're opening in two weeks so just let me know how much notice you'll have to give here."

***

Joey had awkwardly told Alf that she was handing in her notice and explained about the job offer with Miles. He'd expressed sadness at losing her and told her that if she ever wanted to come back, he'd find a way to fit her in. He'd even gone so far as to give her a hug. Now at home, Joey had jumped in the shower and was now looking forward to Charlie's return. Just as Joey had settled herself in front of the television, she heard her lover come in. Joey got to her feet. Charlie immediately made note of the fact that Joey was only in a bathrobe. She grinned.

"I came home to have a shower," Joey explained. "And oh, look what happened!"

She let the robe fall open. Charlie gazed at the body beneath before pouncing on her, capturing her with a kiss and pushing them both onto the sofa. Joey shrieked and giggled in surprise as she landed on her back. Continuing to kiss, Charlie let her hands graze Joey's upper body. Joey reached round to undo Charlie's fly, grateful that she'd already taken off the heavy belt. Reaching inside her trousers, Joey gripped Charlie's backside, pulling her as close as possible as things got more heated.

"Guys! Do you ever stop?"

The women broke apart, startled by Ruby's voice. Joey shifted quickly to do her robe back up so as not to expose herself to her future sister in law.

"Sorry, Ruby," they mumbled guiltily in unison.

"This is the second time I've caught you today!"

"Second time?"

"On the beach."

Charlie and Joey blanched.

"I'm going to put my school bag in my room and then I'm coming out to tell you my news so please be decent when I get back. I love you both, especially together but I can really live without images of Joey's hands down my sisters pants!"

She hurried out of the room. Charlie and Joey pulled themselves into a sitting position and readjusted themselves. When Ruby didn't return immediately, Charlie couldn't stop herself from reaching over and kissing Joey again. Just as their kiss began to develop, Ruby reappeared.

"Seriously!" she said, exasperated.

They broke apart and Ruby came to sit on the opposite chair, shaking her head and trying not to look amused.

"Sorry," Charlie said.

"What's your news?" Joey wanted to know.

"Xavier and I are back together!" Ruby said, utterly delighted.

"Really?" Charlie said. "Wow! That's great! I'm so happy for you."

She hugged her sister, genuinely thrilled. Ruby had taken to her pregnancy so well but the one thing that made her sad was that she didn't have her boyfriend anymore. This would only complete the package. And it also meant that the baby wouldn't grow up without a father.

"We had a long talk today and he said he wants to be with me and be a father to the baby," Ruby said.

"That's wonderful news," Joey said.

"I've said that I don't want to live with him when the baby's born or anything. I still want to live with you guys but he and I can stay together like we were before and he can spend as much time with the baby as he wants," Ruby explained.

"Sounds perfect to me," Charlie agreed.


	75. Chapter 75

**Chapter Seventy-Five**

It was a month later and Joey was beginning to settle into her new job. She'd surprised herself by taking to it quickly and easily and working at the youth centre now felt like the most natural thing in the world. She enjoyed the work, especially the interactions with the teenagers, including Billy, who frequented the centre. It made her feel like she had finally made something of herself, that she was doing something useful with her life. She'd quickly developed a good rapport with the service users in her care. Each day, she wandered home cheerfully, desperately looking forward to seeing Charlie. Arriving home, she kicked her shoes off and flopped down on the couch. Charlie got back a few minutes later and joined her immediately. They kissed.

"I have some bad news," Charlie said, wanting to get it out of the way quickly.

"What?"

"I'm on nights for the whole of next week."

Joey groaned dramatically. She hated it when Charlie got the night shift. It meant hardly seeing each other and sleeping alone.

"I know," Charlie sighed.

She'd never minded those shifts before but she hated them now that she had the love of a good woman at home.

"When do they start?" Joey said.

"Monday. So at least we have the weekend."

Joey pouted. Charlie leant in to kiss the pout away.

"And we get to see each other between your shift finishing and mine starting."

Joey pouted again. Charlie stopped her the best way she knew how.

"We have to go shopping again," Ruby hollered when she arrived home.

She'd stopped bothering to worry about interrupting them, figuring that if she waited from them to stop kissing, she'd never get to talk to them. She supposed it was cute really and she and Xavier weren't far different.

"What's up, Rubes?" Charlie asked.

"I can't breathe in my school uniform," Ruby declared. "I need a new one. And new everything else too because I'm just getting fatter and fatter."

"You're not fat, Ruby, you're pregnant," Joey said firmly.

"I can hardly use that as a defence at school, can I?" Ruby said. "People are noticing."

She frowned and sat on the chair, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Maybe you should start telling people now," Charlie suggested nervously. "The school should really be informed and your friends might want to know too."

"Tell Annie and Geoff that I'm pregnant? Are you kidding me?" Ruby exclaimed.

"Sweetheart, you're going to have to tell them sometime," Charlie pointed out.

"I know," Ruby sighed.

She leant back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair, feeling decidedly grumpy.

"Shopping tomorrow then?" Joey suggested.

"And a meeting with Mr Bartlett on Monday."

"If you say so!" Ruby grumbled, getting up. "I need to lie down."

The women watched her go, stomping the entire way and then turned back to each other. Charlie took hold of Joey's hands.

"I was thinking," she ventured.

Joey looked at her curiously.

"Maybe it's about time we set a date for the wedding and you know, actually start planning it?" Charlie suggested.

Joey beamed at her.

"Really?"

"Uh huh," Charlie said, nodding. "What do you think?"

"I'd love to," Joey said. "When are you thinking?"

"Well, it's April now so... considering we need time to plan it... how about February next year?"

Joey giggled.

"Should we be cliché and do it on Valentine's Day?"

Charlie considered the idea.

"Maybe we should," she said.

"You think?"

"Why not?"

Joey turned the idea over in her mind. It actually sounded pretty romantic.

"Let's do it," Joey said. "If we can. We'll have to go and talk to the... the um... who's going to marry us?"

"Well, I was thinking about that. Because it's not a legal ceremony or anything, we could have our blessing in a church."

"Would they allow that?"

"It's up to the pastor to decide. Shall I make some calls on Monday?"

"Please do!" Joey said excitedly, kissing Charlie again.

***

The following day, Charlie, Joey and Ruby drove into town to try and get new clothes, including a school uniform for Ruby. It was the first shopping trip that Ruby hadn't enjoyed. As excited as she was about the baby, she hated the way her body was changing. Regardless of how much Charlie and Joey had insisted she was still beautiful, she did not like the extra weight on her, although the extra cleavage wasn't the biggest hassle. At the end of the trip, where Charlie and Joey had indulged their little sister in whatever she wanted, ignoring the amount of money they were spending. They had also treated her to several outfits for her newborn. With her emotions out of control, Ruby had burst into tears looking at the baby-grows and bibs. After her little breakdown, Joey had suggested that they take Ruby for a milkshake, away from the crowds. Sitting at the table together, Charlie tried to remind Ruby of the positives.

"Think how exciting it's going to be when the baby arrives," she said.

Joey reached for her hand under the table. It still wasn't the easiest thing in the world for her. She'd never been allowed to look forward to her baby arriving. Grace had been taken away from her the day she was born. Charlie squeezed her hand in gratitude.

"Yeah," Ruby said, oblivious. "He's completely developed now. He just needs to get bigger. He's only five and half centimetres long. Oh, and fourteen grams in weight! How tiny is that?"

"Very tiny," Charlie grinned.

"And he can wiggle and jiggle and everything and all his organs work now," Ruby continued. Apparently I should be having an ultrasound soon. Like now."

"Another phone call jobby for me on Monday," Charlie concluded.

"Another one?" Ruby asked.

Charlie and Joey looked at each other and then turned back to Ruby.

"We're ringing round to find someone to do our blessing," Charlie explained.

"We're hoping for Valentine's Day next year."

Ruby clapped her hands.

"Yey! I was wondering when you guys were going to set a date. And hey, I won't be fat for the photos!"

"You're not fat!" Charlie scolded.

"I know," Ruby said sarcastically. "I'm pregnant!"

***

Monday arrived and Joey hurried out the door with a piece of toast in her mouth, worried about being late for work. Charlie was also up and dressed. She'd booked and appointment with the principal to discuss Ruby's pregnancy with him and so was giving her little sister a lift.

***

A man aged twenty-nine pulled into the car park outside the Diner. Climbing out of the car, having endured a long drive, he decided to have breakfast before he set about his task. Inside the busy venue, he sat in a chair. A pretty, dark haired girl around the same age as him came over smiling and ready to take his order.

***

Martin Bartlett was flabbergasted as Charlie and Ruby awkwardly explained that Ruby was three months pregnant.

"Well, I have to admit I was concerned about you," Martin said. "Teachers have commented on what I realise now was morning sickness."

Ruby chewed her lip and looked to Charlie, wanting her to take the lead.

"We know the situation isn't ideal but we'd really appreciate your support. Hopefully at some point this week, she'll be going for her first scan so she'll need to be excused from school. And when it become more obvious, I would hope that you'd do your best to protect her from comments and remarks from other students."

"Well, obviously I can't control what other students do," Martin replied, a little taken aback by how abrupt and direct Charlie was being.

Still, knowing her sister as he did, he wondered why he was surprised.

"But I will endeavour to my best to look out for her and I'll ensure other staff members do as well."

"Thank you. Perhaps we can discuss what will happen towards the end of her pregnancy and after the birth a few months down the line."

"Yes, of course," Martin said.

Charlie stood up and shook his hand, thanking him. He showed Charlie and Ruby out. In the corridor, Ruby hugged her sister tightly.

"You are the best big sister in the whole wide world," she declared.

Touched, Charlie grinned, wished her a good day at school and headed out.

***

As Joey began to prepare lunch for everyone, she surveyed the already busy room. She spotted one girl, Abbey sitting by herself in the corner, doing nothing. Joey had been concerned about her for a few days. Ever since she had arrived she had been sullen and refused to interact with the other service users. Joey had already had a one-to-one with her. Abbey hadn't really engaged but they seemed to be starting to bond. Putting down the bread she was slicing, she headed over and crouched down in front of her.

"How's it going?" she asked softly.

Abbey looked at her expressionless and shrugged.

"Do you want to help me prepare lunch for everyone?"

Abbey studied Joey's face, considering it. Ever since she had arrived, Joey had been relentlessly nice to her. Despite herself and how angry she felt all the time, she couldn't help but feel that this member of staff cared about her. She nodded slowly and they both got to their feet, heading back into the kitchen where Joey could observe the other room through the hatch.

"Thank you," Abbey said quietly.

Joey smiled as they set to work, feeling like they were making progress.

***

Charlie was pleased with herself when she hung up the phone for the final time. She had found a pastor who was willing to do their blessing out of town and she and Joey had a meeting with him on Friday afternoon between their individual shifts. In the morning before the appointment, Ruby had her first scan. They had also booked her in for a routine blood test where they could check the health of the baby. Yes, it had been a successful day so far.

***

Ruby sat in the Diner with Jai, Annie, Geoff, Nicole and Xavier. Glancing at her boyfriend, she took a deep breath.

"Guys, there's something we need to tell you," she said.

The others leaned in curiously.

"I'm pregnant," Ruby blurted out.

They all looked shocked. Jai was the first to break into a smile.

"Congratulations," he said.

Ruby beamed, pleased with his response. She knew she could count on him.

"Are you happy about it?" Geoff asked curiously.

"Well, obviously it was a shock at first," Ruby explained. "It wasn't easy to come to terms with but yeah, I'm thrilled."

"Well then we're thrilled for you," Nicole beamed. "Can I be Godmother?"

Ruby giggled at her enthusiasm.

"I don't think we're really thinking about that kind of stuff yet," she replied.

"How far along are you?" Jai asked.

"Twelve weeks. I'll be having my first scan soon. Charlie's booking it today."

"Ooh, how did she react?" Geoff wondered.

"She was great about it," Ruby said. "I mean, she was pretty shocked but she and Joey have been amazing. They've taken me shopping twice for new clothes because I'm getting so fat."

"You're not fat, you're..." Xavier started.

Her glare silenced him. She was sick of people saying that to her.

Nicole laughed.

"Well, I think you look beautiful," the blonde said.

Ruby blushed and grinned.

"And we're all here to support you. Right guys?"

Jai nodded willingly. Geoff nodded a little more reluctantly. Ruby's eyes turned to Annie who had been very quiet.

"Annie?" she asked.

"How could you be dumb enough to be a teenage mother in this day and age?" she asked.

"Annie!" Jai scolded.

"You shouldn't have even been doing it in the first place. You're not even sixteen yet!"

"It's not your place to reprimand me, Annie," Ruby frowned. "If anyone is allowed to judge me and be mad at me, it's Charlie. And she wasn't. She was lovely. She bought me clothes and a baby book, she's taking me to my scan, she brings home little things that help me feel more comfortable and even though it was really hard for her to get her head around, she was amazing. And so was Joey. So don't sit there and make this hard for me."

"I just... I don't understand what you're doing with your life, Ruby. Where are your morals?"

"I got pregnant. It happens."

"And you're living with lesbians!"

From the look on Annie's face, she hadn't meant for that to come out.

"What the hell has that got to do with anything?" Ruby demanded.

"Guys, let's cool it," Jai practically begged.

"No! I want to know what Annie's problem is."

"It just seems like Charlie and Joey are bad influences on you," Annie said. "If they didn't have such loose, sexual morals then perhaps you wouldn't be in this mess."

"Loose, sexual morals?" Ruby exploded, standing up.

Xavier tried to pull her back down again but she ignored him.

"They're in a committed, loving relationship. They're getting married! How can they have loose morals?"

"Girls should date boys, not girls," Annie argued.

Geoff shifted uncomfortably. He agreed with his sister but he didn't really want to admit that. Nicole would give him hell for it if he spoke up.

"Do you live in the dark ages or something?" Ruby asked. "There's nothing wrong with being gay."

"And there's nothing wrong with being a teenage Mum either?"

"Do you know what, I don't care what you think, Annie. I was hoping for a bit of support from my friends but that's obviously too much for you. Charlie and Joey are wonderful examples to me. They're amazing people and I'm proud to call them family. And whether I'm young or whatever doesn't matter to me. I'm looking forward to my baby arriving. I'm going to love him and take care of him and teach him to accept people, whoever they are and not be a jumped up little bigot."

With that, Ruby fled the Diner, trying to ignore the fact that she had just announced to the whole restaurant that she was pregnant. Xavier stood and hurried after her.

***

Sitting at a nearby table, having not willed himself to move since the morning, the newcomer was glad he had stayed. He now knew the woman he was after was in town. Now he just needed to make contact.

***

Joey finished work and headed home feeling pleased with the progress she had made with Abbey. The young girl seemed to have started to trust her. They had spent the afternoon together and she had even opened up a little. She explained that she'd had a terrible fight with her parents and run away. Joey knew her next job was to try and get her to at least call her parents and let them know she was safe but it hadn't been the right time to bring that up. Tomorrow, she decided.

***

Ruby and Xavier walked towards Ruby's house together. Ruby was in tears over her fight with Annie. Xavier hadn't known what to say so he just held her hand. At the door, they said goodbye with a kiss and still tearful, Ruby had entered the house. Charlie looked up when she heard her sister enter. Her face fell when she saw her tears.

"Ruby, what happened?" she asked urgently.

"Annie and I had a fight. Judgemental bitch."

She sat down heavily on the sofa and Charlie moved to sit beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

***

"You could have been more supportive," Jai said awkwardly. "She's scared enough as it is without you going off at her."

"I'm just worried about her," Annie argued. "She's so silly for getting pregnant."

"Well, it's not like she did it on purpose."

"Exactly!"

"And why did you have to bring Charlie and Joey into it?"

"Because I think it's their fault. Charlie's supposed to be looking after Ruby," Annie said. "She's obviously not doing a very good job."

"Annie, I really think you need to push your judgements aside and just be there for your best friend. Whether she should be or not, Ruby's pregnant and she's going to need a lot of support. And Charlie and Joey aren't doing anything wrong."

Annie didn't have the energy to argue.

***

Joey arrived home cheerfully but fell into a frown when she saw Charlie cuddling Ruby on the sofa, rocking her gently and stroking her hair.

"What's up?" she asked, hurrying over.

"Ruby and Annie had a row when she told her friends about the baby," Charlie explained.

"Oh, sweetheart," Joey said sadly, sitting on Ruby's other side and reaching for her hand.

"And Annie laid into her about us," Charlie added unhappily.

"Us?" Joey asked, utterly confused.

"You both have loose, sexual morals apparently," Ruby sniffed.

She shifted from Charlie's arms and flopped into Joey's. Joey caught her and held her close.

"I'm sorry, darling," Joey said.

"It's not your fault," Ruby replied.

It still didn't make Charlie or Joey feel less guilty.

"Hey, why don't I head to the Diner, pick up some takeaway and something nice for dessert?" Charlie suggested. "Will that cheer you up?"

Ruby sat up, nodded and the burst into tears, flinging herself against Charlie one more time.


	76. Chapter 76

**Chapter Seventy-Six**

On Wednesday evening between Charlie and Joey's shifts at work, the couple curled up in their room together, stealing as many kisses as possible. Joey undid the buttons that she knew so well, reaching inside to caress Charlie's breast. Charlie moaned against Joey's mouth, kissing her harder, eager for more. She smiled in pleasure as she felt Joey's hands on her and reached to remove Joey's shirt as well. Joey melted into her embrace before catching herself and pulling Charlie's hand back.

"We don't really have time for this," she said unhappily.

Charlie glanced at her watch.

"We have forty minutes," she insisted. "We can do plenty in forty minutes."

Joey raised her eyebrows to remind Charlie just how long their love-making sessions usually lasted. Charlie just responded with more kisses. Joey couldn't help but return them. Eventually, she pulled back and caught hold of Charlie's hand again.

"Do you really want to go to work horny?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, I do," Charlie said, nodding.

She rolled Joey onto her back and undid the rest of her buttons and quickly reaching round to unhook her bra. Feeling Charlie's mouth begin to devour her bare chest, Joey gave in.

***

Twenty precious minutes later, Joey had just about recovered and Charlie was kissing her neck softly.

"I've been thinking," Charlie murmured between kisses.

"Dare I ask?" Joey wondered.

Charlie stopped her romantic assault and propped herself up on her elbows, still on top of Joey.

"I'd really, really like the third and final instalment of my gift."

She grinned so ecstatically that Joey couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"You want your lap dance, do you?"

Charlie nodded, still grinning.

"Well, how about after you get home from work on Saturday morning, you have a little nap and then when you're awake, we can play."

"That sounds amazing to me," Charlie said. "Although I might not manage the nap part. I might be too excited."

"Well, that's your call," Joey said, kissing her again.

Charlie lost herself in the kiss, thinking that she was luckiest woman alive.

"Hey, just think of how amazing our wedding night is going to be," Joey grinned.

Charlie allowed their lips to part ever so slightly.

"Mmm, it's going to be incredible," she agreed. "The whole day is going to be amazing. It really is going to be the happiest day of my life. I can't believe I'm actually getting the opportunity to stand up and declare how much I love you, how committed I am to you."

Joey couldn't help smiling.

"You really have turned my world around," she said. "People I've known in the past... they'd be shocked if they ever found out I was getting married. They'd never believe it!"

"We should really talk about a guest list, shouldn't we? Like, which friends and family will you invite?"

Joey shrugged.

"I think my side of the church is going to be pretty empty," she said.

"There must be people you want to invite."

"There's a guy from back home that might want to come. Oh and maybe my old roommate from the 'Skip Era'. Maybe. I don't know."

"What about your... um... Do you want to invite your Mum?"

"She wouldn't come," Joey said flatly, distracting herself with more kisses.

"Maybe she'd come though?" Charlie persisted. "She told you she loved you last time she saw you. She might accept the wedding and..."

"She'd never stand up to my father," Joey said sadly.

Charlie nodded, feeling bad for bringing up such a sensitive topic.

"I mean," Joey continued. "If she were ever to stand up for me, you'd think it would be when her husband put me in hospital for two weeks with head injuries and broken bones, right? Or maybe when he slung me into a kitchen chair and cut all my hair off for being late to school because I'd been obsessing over how I looked."

Charlie just gazed at Joey, absorbing the venom in her voice and feeling startled by it.

"Or, or maybe, maybe," Joey squeaked. "Maybe she could have stood up for me when Dad locked me up for three days! Yeah, maybe then she would have stopped sitting on the sidelines and watching me suffer. Maybe then she would have stepped in."

Charlie felt more and more guilty for bringing it up as she watched tears form in Joey's eyes.

"No, there's no way she'd come to the wedding. There's no way that woman would ever stand up for me in a million years!"

Charlie reached for her hand and found it clenched into a fist.

"I hate her," Joey declared.

She caught the disbelieving look Charlie gave her and sighed.

"Okay, I don't hate her. It's completely pathetic but I love her and I'd love nothing more than for her to see me get married."

Charlie stroked Joey's hair and apologised for bringing up the issue. She hadn't meant to upset her.

"It's fine," Joey assured her.

She kissed Charlie's mouth once and stroked her cheek.

"I didn't mean to get all emotional," she said. "I'm embarrassed now."

"There's no need to be embarrassed. All that stuff really happened to you?"

Joey nodded and sighed heavily.

"I got my own back with the hair cutting though," she grinned. "My best friend's mother was a hairdresser so I got her to give me a dyke cut and there wasn't a single thing Dad could do about it. It was awesome! Although, obviously it didn't take."

She gestured to her long locks and smiled. Charlie giggled and felt a little better that Joey had lightened the mood. They moved to kiss again, wrapping their arms around each other.

"You'd better head out to work," Joey commented when they parted.

Both of them were disappointed but Charlie was dangerously close to running late. They kissed once more before Charlie hauled herself off the bed and sorted herself out. Joey made herself decent and followed her to the door to see her out and kiss her goodbye again.

***

Friday rolled around and both Charlie and Joey had struggled with not seeing each other much. Joey decided that she would do whatever she could to do night shifts at the youth centre when Charlie was doing them at the station. At least that way they could spend the day together. Now, Joey had headed out to work while Charlie and Ruby were getting ready to go to Ruby's scan. In the waiting room, Ruby was tense. Charlie held her hand.

"You don't think I'm a bad person for getting pregnant so young, do you?" Ruby asked out of the blue.

"What? No!" Charlie replied. "I mean, it's not ideal, I'll grant you that but it doesn't make me judge you or think you're a bad person, Ruby. That's just silly. And to be honest, the way you've handled it has made me respect you even more than I did before. You've been so mature about this."

Ruby smiled, relieved. The nurse appeared in the doorway.

***

At the youth centre, Joey was playing cards with Abbey. It had been her mission to bring the fourteen year-old girl out of herself, bond with her and hopefully convince her to call her parents if it was appropriate. So far, she was doing well. Abbey seemed to come to life when Joey got into work and she now always helped out with lunch.

"Abbey," Joey ventured. "Do you think you're parents are wondering where you are?"

"They don't care about me," Abbey said certainly.

"What makes you think that?"

"They've been lying to me my whole life for starters."

"Lying to you about what?" Joey queried.

"It doesn't matter."

"Obviously it does."

"I'm not calling them, Joey," Abbey informed her sternly.

"Not even to let them know that you're safe?"

Abbey looked at her seriously, chewing her lip and considering her options.

"Maybe," she said.

Joey felt moderately triumphant.

"It's your turn," Abbey informed her, nodding towards the cards.

***

Ruby squealed when the nurse put the cold jelly on her swollen tummy and began the scan. After a few moments, the three of them heard the baby's heartbeat. Charlie was overwhelmed with emotion as she clutched Ruby's hand and they looked at the screen together. The nurse pointed to it and explained the size and position of the baby. Ruby was elated. It somehow made it more real for her. Sixteen or not, seeing her baby was the single most wonderful moment of her life and she was sure it only got better from there.

***

Joey hurried home as quickly as possible, cursing herself for never having learnt to drive. The pastor would be making his house call in ten minutes. She'd been delayed when Abbey had finally agreed to phone home and let her parents know she was safe but she'd insisted that Joey be with her while she did it. It wasn't the kind of thing she could turn down but now she was running late. Bursting through the door, she shot off a thousand apologies, finding Charlie in the living room, having set out biscuits. She stood up when she saw Joey and hugged her tight, feeling nervous about the visit. They broke apart when there was a knock at the door. Joey headed towards the door to answer it while Charlie repositioned the plate of biscuits. Once they had settled, Rev Simon White explained who he was, which was the pastor of a church out of town that prided itself on being inclusive of all people and that included the LGBT community. In fact, the church celebrated that group and Simon explained that a large proportion of his congregation were of a different persuasion to heterosexual. Joey and Charlie could hardly believe that this was possible but clear as day, he was sitting on their sofa telling them that God loved gay people as much as God loved straight people.

"So, you'd be happy to do our blessing then?" Charlie asked hopefully.

"I would love to do your blessing," Simon confirmed. "The only thing is that I'm not particularly local so you'd need to find a venue. I'm assuming all your friends and family wouldn't be prepared to come out that far."

"I'm sure we could find a venue," Joey said, looking at Charlie who nodded in agreement.

"Great! And you're hoping for February 14th?"

"Hoping," Charlie said.

"Well, that's free for me so if you can book somewhere for that day too then we're good to go."

Charlie and Joey launched gratitude at him. Neither could stop smiling.

"No problem," he said. "So, how long have you been together?"

"Um, well, this time around it's been ten months," Joey explained. "I'm sure there's a 'lesbians rush into it' comment there somewhere."

Simon grinned.

"You say 'this time around'," he said. "Have you been together before and broken up?"

"Well, we met nearly four years ago," Charlie explained, "but circumstances meant that we couldn't really be together. This is the third time we've dated."

"Third time's a charm, hey?" Joey added, holding Charlie's hand.

"Apparently so!" Simon laughed. "And what do the two of you do for a living?"

"I'm a police officer."

"And I'm a youth worker," Joey said.

She turned to Charlie in surprised delight.

"I'm a youth worker!" she realised.

Charlie laughed and explained to the pastor that this was a new thing for Joey and she was still excited about it.

***

With the meeting over, Charlie and Joey were elated to have finally got somewhere with their wedding plans. Curling up on the sofa, they indulged in many kisses and cuddles before Charlie finally had to leave to go to work. Joey followed her into the bedroom as she got changed.

"Hey, don't forget what you promised me in the morning," Charlie grinned, pulling her trousers on.

Joey observed her beautiful body, thinking for perhaps the millionth time just how lucky she was to be with a woman such as Charlie Buckton.

"Oh, I haven't," she promised. "I've been thinking about it actually."

Charlie raised an eyebrow as she began to button her shirt.

"And I want you in uniform," Joey said, keeping her voice low, almost growling, the way she knew Charlie appreciated.

Charlie giggled and watched Joey delve into the bottom drawer of the bedside unit, knowing exactly what type of things were kept in there.

"And this," Joey added, putting their strap-on on top of the mattress.

She looked at Charlie triumphantly. The police officer finished dressing headed over to Joey, keeping an eye on the sex toy.

"Consider it done," she said, kissing her tenderly.

***

The following morning, Charlie arrived home positively giddy with excitement. She dumped her bag on the table and then nudged open the bedroom door. Joey was waiting for her in a robe. She'd also placed a chair in the middle of the floor and on it lay the toy that she wanted to play with. Charlie's eyes lit up when she saw her in the lamp light, her hair shiny and soft as it cascaded round her face. She looked stunning as she stood from the side of the bed and greeted her lover with a lingering kiss.

"Do you want to nap first or...?" Joey asked.

Charlie tugged at the cord of Joey's satin robe, opening it to reveal skimpy, black underwear.

"I don't want a nap," she declared.

She moved towards the chair, collected what she needed and excused herself to the bathroom to get herself equipped. Joey watched her go, trembling with excitement. She was so thrilled that they were able to be like this together again. She fiddled with the CD player, getting it ready to start as soon as Charlie was ready to come and sit down. A few minutes later, Charlie entered in uniform and with a distinct bulge at her groin. She giggled and explained that she had nearly got caught by Leah who was getting ready for her shift at the Diner.

"Well, you can forget about that now the door's closed," Joey promised.

Charlie seated herself. Joey pressed play and disrobed. Charlie's heart was pounding as Joey came towards her, moving closer. As Joey hovered over Charlie's lap, Charlie breathed in her scent and felt her gyrate against her body. She reached out to hold onto her backside but was gently swatted away.

"No touching," Joey warned, whispering into her ear. "It's against the rules."

Frustrated and elated in equal measure, Charlie put her arms by her sides and enjoyed the thrill of Joey's moving body. Joey turned around in her lap so that she was facing away from her. Charlie moved her hands up, getting close but not actually touching Joey's torso and breasts. She moved her face in closer to Joey's neck, resisting the urge to press her lips against her skin. Succeeding in this, she gave up on her hands and placed them on Joey's breasts, enjoying the feel of them beneath her palms. Enjoying the touch, Joey allowed her to remain there just for a moment, circling her with her thumbs. Then she pulled away and pushed Charlie's hands back down, turning round in her lap.

"No touching," she reminded Charlie, inching as close as possible and settling into Charlie's lap, feeling her new appendage concealed beneath the uniform. She took a moment to enjoy the way Charlie looked and delight in the happy smile on her face. Joey reached behind herself and undid her bra strap, taking the garment off and laying it round Charlie's shoulders. Charlie gazed at Joey's chest, enjoying the way she moved. She licked her lips, so desperate to touch her. Giving in, she reached forward but Joey caught her before she could do anything. Raising herself higher, Joey brushed a nipple across Charlie's lips. Heart racing, Charlie could hardly bear not to capture it. When Joey moved to tease her with the other one, Charlie lost her resolve.

"You have got to be kidding me with this 'no touching' stuff," she murmured, opening her mouth and keeping hold of Joey.

Joey felt a rush go through her at the touch and decided to allow Charlie to break the rules this time. It felt too good to resist. She gasped when she felt a hand between her legs, tracing over her skimpy underwear. She let her continue for a few moments until she caught just how self satisfied her partner was. She pulled her breast away and removed Charlie's hand. Ignoring Charlie's pout, Joey grinned and undid Charlie's trousers. Charlie lifted a little in her seat so that Joey could pull them down a little more. Joey then moved back and stepped out of her last remaining item of clothing. Charlie's eyes widened at the sight of the beauty before her. Joey smiled back with love, desire and wonder. She came back to Charlie's lap, settling herself on what she was offering. As the two of them moved together, Charlie began to pay attention to Joey's breasts again. Breathing got heavier and thrusting got more vigorous as their bodies melted together. Gasping, Joey clung to Charlie's neck as pure ecstasy took over her body. Giving herself little time to recover, she kissed Charlie's mouth passionately. Knowing that Charlie had almost arrived but not quite and, not wanting to lose the momentum, Joey moved away and sank to the floor. Removing Charlie's trousers and the dildo, she settled between her legs, immediately beginning to take Charlie to the same place she was in.

***

Several minutes later, Charlie was gasping and perspiring in the chair as Joey returned to straddle her lap and hold her, kissing her neck, cheeks and lips. When Charlie had recovered, Joey looked into her eyes, smiling joyfully. All their troubles had been chased away.

"Shall we lie down?" Joey suggested, more than ready for their love making to continue.

Charlie nodded. She nodded to their toy on the floor.

"We're taking that with us," she ordered.

"Oh, are we?" Joey teased.

"Mmm hmm," Charlie confirmed, standing up with Joey still straddling her, ready to carry her to bed.


	77. Chapter 77

**Chapter Seventy-Seven**

Charlie and Joey's weekend of bliss was over and Monday morning arrived. Abbey was around to greet Joey the moment she walked through the door. She was a sweet girl and Joey was pleased to have started to get somewhere with her. At lunch time, Joey headed over to the Diner, having arranged to meet Star. Charlie and Watson would also be joining them so that the girls could set up the date they both so obviously wanted. Being the first to arrive, Joey sat down at a table and waited.

***

The stranger who had arrived in town the previous week, was still lurking. He had failed to track down the person he was looking for, although he wasn't going to admit that to anybody. In such a small town, it really shouldn't be this hard. His next stop was the police station to see if he could find a way to track her down through them. Walking through the doors, he passed a beautiful woman in uniform with her colleague. He was half tempted to change his mind about finding his sister. Picking up this cop would be far more exciting.

***

Charlie and Watson headed to the car to go to the Diner, passing a man they didn't know on their way. Still deep in conversation, they climbed inside the vehicle and headed towards lunch.

"So, who is Joey bringing?" Watson asked curiously.

"One of her friends."  
"Wait, this isn't a set up, is it?"

"Maybe," Charlie teased.

***

When the officers arrived at the Diner, Watson's heart skipped a beat when she saw Star sitting there. Charlie's heart skipped a beat when she saw Joey, who waved them over and the four of them sat down together. Charlie planted a small kiss on Joey's lips, ignoring the flummoxed expression on Colleen's face as she approached to wait on them. Nearly a year and the poor woman still wasn't used to seeing the women out together.

***

"Hello," Davina said from the reception desk. "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a Joey Collins," the guy explained.

"I'm not really allowed to give that kind of information out," the cop replied.

He observed how beautiful she was, wondering if it was part of the job description at this station to be attractive.

"She's my sister," he explained. "My name's Brett Collins and I really need to see her."

He pulled out his identification. Davina was torn. He seemed genuine enough but she wasn't really allowed to do it. Then she recalled Joey tipping a drink over her.

"You're most likely to find her at the youth centre," she said. "That's where she works."

Brett was definitely surprised, wondering how his waste of space sister had got a job there. Maybe she's a cleaner, he thought to himself.

"Thanks," he said. "You've been very helpful."

He turned and headed back out of the building.

***

"Okay, Star, Watson likes you. Watson, Star likes you. So why don't you both show up here tonight at eight for a meal? A date. Okay?" Joey said.

Both women blanched. Charlie giggled and held Joey's hand under the table. A half hour meal and neither Star nor Watson had managed to say more than a handful of words and most of them hadn't been to each other. Joey couldn't cope with the shyness and so had decided to do something about it.

"Well, my work here is done!" Joey giggled, getting to her feet. "I have to get back to my real job."

She bent to kiss Charlie's lips, wished everyone a good day and skipped off. Feeling pleased with herself, Joey approached the youth centre. She stopped completely still when she saw a familiar figure standing outside.

"Hi Joey," Brett said, approaching her.

***

"I can't believe that Joey did that!" Watson said on the way back to the station.

Charlie chuckled.

"Really? This is Joey we're talking about," she reminded her.

"I guess," Watson conceded. "She's not exactly backwards in coming forward, is she?"

"Not my girl!" Charlie grinned.

***

Star headed home, embarrassed and elated about the lunch events. Joey had essentially humiliated her by having to arrange the date for them but at the end of the day, at least she had a date with Watson. That was the important thing. Now, she just had to go home and pick the perfect outfit.

***

"What the hell are you doing here?" Joey demanded, immediately tense.

"Looking for you. Obviously," Brett replied.

"Why?"

She looked nervously around, hoping someone might be around to rescue her. The last thing she needed was for her brother to show up and make trouble for her. She'd left home for a reason.

"Mum's dying," Brett said, unemotional and not prepared to shield the blow.

Joey suddenly felt sick.

"She's..."

"Dying. About to leave this plane. Sick. Might be dead by the time I get home."

Brett hated saying the words. He loved his mother. He had been part of her care for the last six months. But he hated Joey more and there was no way he was going to make it easy for her. Joey struggled to find words.

"What's... what's wrong with her?" she asked meekly.

"She had an accident. Got an infection."

"An accident like the kind of accidents I used to have or a real one?" Joey asked coldly.

"Shut the fuck up and listen to what I'm saying to you for once in your pathetic life!"

Joey clenched her fists just in case she needed to protect herself, the mood getting even darker. She painfully recalled the last time they had seen each other. Brett had put her in hospital and then her family had disowned her.

"Mum's dying and for some stupid reason she wants to see you before she goes. So you need to come back to the house and spend some time with her. It's the least you can do after everything you've done to our family."

"Everything _I've_ done. Are you kidding me?" Joey exclaimed.

"Are you coming or not?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I'm checking out of my hotel in three hours so you can come or not. I don't care. But Mum will be heartbroken if you don't."

"If I come, I am not coming with you, Brett. I'll make my own way there."

"Whatever," Brett snapped. "I've done my job. It's up to you now."

He stormed away from her, pushing into her as he passed. Joey turned and watched him go, breathing hard and wondering what to do. For all the times her mother had let her down, Joey didn't want to let her down in return at the point where she needed her most.

"Hey, Joey, are you okay?" Miles asked, noticing her as he exited the building.

Joey chewed her lip.

"I um... can I disappear for another half hour? There's something I need to do."

Miles looked at how pale she had become.

"Sure," he said. "Take as long as you need."

Joey hurried away, breaking into a sprint in the direction of the police station.

***

Charlie was in her office when she heard Davina arguing with someone. She hurried out, stopping in surprise when she saw Joey at the desk looking anxious.

"Joey? What's happened? Are you okay?" she asked.

"I need to see you," Joey pleaded.

"Sure," Charlie said, gesturing for her to come into her office.

"You're not allowed personal meetings at work," Davina reminded her.

Charlie just glared and shut the door behind her and Joey. She guided Joey into her chair and perched on the desk in front of her.

"Joey, you look terrible," she said.

"Thanks!"

"What's happened?"

"Brett."

Charlie jolted at his named, becoming even more concerned. She crouched down in front of Joey, putting her palms on her lap.

"What about him?" she asked worriedly.

"He's here. In town. He came to see me."

"What? When? Why?"

"Just now. Mum's dying," Joey explained sadly. "She wants to see me before... before."

Charlie reached round to hold her.

"When are you leaving?" she asked, hardly able to bear the thought of being away from her and yet desperately wanting to be supportive.

"Do you think I should go?" Joey asked.

"I know you won't be able to live with it if you don't," Charlie said.

Joey nodded.

"I'm afraid," she admitted. "I don't think I could bear to go back, to face my family."

"I could um... I could go with you if you like," Charlie suggested, not sure how that would be received.

Joey's eyes lit up.

"Would you really be willing to come?" she asked, stunned that anyone would be that nice.

"Of course I would," Charlie replied. "If you need me, I'll be there."

"I would feel safer," Joey said.

"Then we'll go. Let's both try and get time off and if we can leave tomorrow, we will," Charlie said firmly.

"You would really do that for me?" Joey checked.

"I'd do anything for you, Joey. Surely you know that by now?"

They kissed softly.

"Okay, I'm going to head back to work and sweet talk Miles."

"I'll rearrange some shifts and get time off."

They stood, kissing each other one more time before going their separate ways. At the door of the station, Joey turned back to Charlie.

"Thank you," she said.

Charlie smiled back at her affectionately and moved to peruse the rotas to figure out if it was workable. Then all she needed to do was get permission from Fitzy.

***

Brett called home before he left his hotel. His father answered.

"Did you find her?" he asked in his gruff voice.

"Yeah, finally," Brett said.

"And is she coming?"

"Probably."

"Only probably?"

"She didn't seem that certain but I made sure she knew she'd break Mum's heart if she didn't show. I think that got to her. She works in a youth centre now, you know."

"Must be the cleaner," Mr Collins said firmly. "The idea of her helping to shape young minds is ridiculous. It's horrific."

"Tell me about it," Brett replied. "Well, I'll be home tomorrow."

"Okay. Thanks for doing this for your Mum."

***

Joey entered the youth centre. Abbey's eyes lit up. Joey waved but headed straight towards Miles.

"Hey," he greeted. "Did you get your crisis sorted?"

"Um... not yet," she replied awkwardly.

"Why do I get the feeling you want some time off?"

She smiled hopefully.

"I'm really sorry and I know it's last minute, it's just that I need to go back home and see my family. They live about five hours away up the coast."

"Well, sure, if it's an emergency," Miles said. "Is there anything I can do to help, Joey? You look pretty stressed out."

"It's... my Mum's dying. She wants to see me."

"Oh, Joey, I'm so sorry! Have as much time off as you need. Do whatever you need to do."

Joey smiled gratefully and thanked him.

"It's okay," she said with a heavy sigh. "I'm going for her more than me. We're... we're estranged."

Miles nodded and pulled his colleague and friend into a hug. She accepted gratefully.

"Take this afternoon off if you want," he said when he pulled away.

"No, no, I've got unfinished stuff here. I'll feel better if I work the afternoon. Thank you though," Joey told him.

***

Charlie knocked on her boss's door. Fitzy looked up and welcomed her in.

"Hi," Charlie said.

Fitzy gestured for her to sit down.

"Something's come up at home. I need to go away for a few days," Charlie ventured. "Is that possible?"

"Well, I'd need to look after the rotas..."

Charlie presented the rotas and pointed out where it might be possible for Jack, Watson and Angelo to cover her shifts if they were willing. Fitzy nodded, amused at how prepared her employee was. She was certain that when she went on maternity leave in a month's time, Charlie would be the person to take over. She was the perfect choice.

"Well, yes, if they're willing, that's fine," she said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's Joey. Her Mum's dying and she's afraid to go and see her by herself so I really want to go and support her."

"You organise cover and you can have your time off," Fitzy promised.

Charlie smiled gratefully and headed out to make phone calls.

***

"You're going away?" Abbey asked, panic in her eyes.

Joey was startled.

"You can't leave me," Abbey insisted.

Awkwardly, Joey drew her to a table and they say down together.

"I'm just going for a few days," she said calmly.

"But I need you," the young girl protested.

"You'll have everyone else here," Joey replied. "I'll be going for three days and then I'll be back. If you listened that far into the conversation then you'll understand why."

Abbey hung her head. She felt selfish for begging Joey to stay. She had listened and she understood that Joey's Mum was dying but her own needs were taking over. Since she'd left home, since before then even, she'd felt like she had nobody to trust, nobody who cared for her. But since arriving at the youth centre, the place that was her home now, Joey had begun to break through her anger and her hurt. Abbey felt like Joey cared. She was the only person she trusted.

"I know," she said softly. "I'm sorry to hear about your Mum."

"Thanks," Joey said.

"How can you be estranged from your family and keep pressuring me to get back in touch with mine?" Abbey asked.

She looked startled at the question. She'd meant to only think it, not say it aloud. Joey looked at her.

"The reason I want you to stay in touch with your family is _because_ I'm estranged from mine and I know how much it hurts," she said seriously.

"Why are you estranged?" Abbey asked.

"I'm not really allowed to talk about my personal life, Abbey."

Abbey looked and felt rejected. Joey felt guilty. She took a deep breath.

"We're estranged because my Dad hated me from the day I was born," she said quickly.

Abbey was shocked, wondering how anyone could hate Joey.

"Did he treat you badly?"

Joey nodded.

"Is that why you care so much about people like me?"

"Pretty much," Joey said. "I don't want anyone to have to go through what I did."

"I don't want to see my family again," Abbey revealed.

"Please don't say that," Joey begged.

"They lied to me my whole life, Joey."

"What did they lie about?"

"Me. My life. They never told me I was adopted."

Suddenly everything Abbey had told her over the past few weeks made sense.

"Maybe they were trying to protect you," Joey suggested.

"It was because they didn't love me," Abbey insisted.

"Abbey, if they didn't love you, why would they have adopted you in the first place?" Joey challenged. "Obviously they cared enough to take you into their home and love you like their own. Surely that's what love means?"

"But they lied."

"Would you have been able to handle it if they'd have told you when you were five, six, seven? Even when you were ten? They probably wanted to protect you, keep you as their baby for as long as possible."

"My real Mum must have hated me," Abbey pouted, hating that Joey was making sense.

"Abbey," Joey sighed. "You don't know the circumstances. She could have been young, she could have been suffering, she could have been in any situation that might have made her give you up. But she can't have hated you, Abbey. She loved you enough to give you to good parents who would take care of you."

All Joey could think about was Charlie, putting herself in her position when she gave her baby girl away.

"You sound like you know something about that," Abbey accused with a furrowed brow.

"Not personally, no," Joey corrected her. "I can just imagine what someone must go through to put their child up for adoption."

"You think she loved me?" Abbey asked almost hopefully.

"I'm sure she did. And I'm sure she still does."

***

At home, Charlie knocked on Ruby's door. When she got a response, she poked her head round the door. Ruby was flat on her back on the bed looking tired.

"Hey, are you okay?" Charlie asked, coming to perch on the bed.

"Exhausted. Are you?"

"I'm fine but Joey had some bad news."

Ruby sat up, alert and concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Her Mum's dying. Her brother came to find her to say that her Mum wants to see her before she passes away."

Ruby frowned. Both she and Charlie knew exactly what it was like to lose a mother. Neither was sure if it was worse of better with the terrible relationship Joey and Mrs Collins had.

"I wanted to go with her," Charlie explained. "We'll be away for about three days. Would that be okay with you?"

Ruby nodded.

"It's fine. Do what you need to do."

After a series of pledges that Ruby would call her if she needed anything, reminders that their Dad was only round the corner and that Leah would always be on hand to help, Charlie finally felt satisfied that Ruby would be alright to leave. She couldn't help but be a little nervous considering what Ruby had got up to while they were away last time. But she trusted her and knew that she would be good. She just hoped that she would be safe.

***

Joey arrived home tired and stressed. Flopping down on the sofa she leant back and closed her eyes. She smiled when she felt familiar hands begin to massage her shoulders. Looking up at Charlie, she smiled and was rewarded with a kiss.

"How are you doing?" Charlie asked, moving to sit beside her on the sofa.

They clasped hands.

"Between having to see Brett again, finding out about Mum and having one of the service users beg me not to go, I'm about ready to curl up and sleep for a long, long time."

"Someone begged you not to go?" Charlie queried.

"This girl... we've kind of bonded. I seem to be the only person she'll talk to so she's fretting about how she'll cope while I'm not around."

"What does she do on weekends?" Charlie asked.

"Waits for Monday."

Charlie sighed, feeling sorry for the girl and for Joey, who really didn't need that kind of pressure right now.

"Well, I'm going to cook so you just relax, okay?"

Joey nodded gratefully.

***

Watson and Star had enjoyed a lovely evening together. Once their nerves had dissipated, they hadn't stopped talking until the Diner closed. Watson had shyly revealed that she was treated badly in her last relationship and so felt a little vulnerable being interested in someone new. Star had been sad to hear the tale of Davina and thrilled to have confirmation that Watson liked her. When Watson had expressed surprise that Star would be so shy, Star had explained that on stage, she was a character, she was someone else. In real life, with her clothes on, she was a regular woman who had problems with assertiveness. She'd told Watson that this was half the reason she'd selected her chosen career. It was meant to temporarily boost her confidence and then deciding that she quite enjoyed the work, she'd stayed for six years and counting. Walking along the beach in the moonlight, Star turned to Watson.

"Do you mind what I do for a living?" she asked.

"Do you mind what I do?" Watson giggled.

"No!" Star laughed.

"Same answer," Watson confirmed.

Stopping to face her date, her heart racing, Star decided to do what she'd wanted to do since she first met her. She leant in for a kiss and was overjoyed when Watson responded.

***

Charlie and Joey had an early night, aware that they were going to be up and out early. Ruby hugged them both, clinging onto Joey a little tighter than she normally would. Once they were gone, Ruby's phoned beeped. She had a text message from Annie asking if they could talk over lunch the next day. Missing her friend like crazy, Ruby readily agreed.

***

In the bedroom, Charlie and Joey got changed and dived under the blanket. Joey felt unwell with nerves about having to go back home and see her family. It would bring back so many memories, good and bad that she had tried to break away from. And taking Charlie back to her hometown felt like a big risk. While her girlfriend might have grown up with well off parentage, Joey hadn't had the same privileges. She was anxious about Charlie seeing where she had come from in every sense of the word. Noting Joey's continued stress, Charlie pulled her close and held her the whole night through.


	78. Chapter 78

_Hi everyone! Thank you as ever for your continued reading and reviewing of this and my other stories. I won't be updating as regularly for the next few days duty calls me back to my family home for a bit (interestingly enough as this is exactly where Charlie and Joey are heading in this chapter, although I can assure you that my family are a world away from the Collins clan!) However, when I return, updates will continue as they have been and... drum roll please... I will also be bringing forth a whole new story for your reading pleasure, entitled "Forbidden". So until then, enjoy this latest chapter. IJKS xx_

_***_

**Chapter Seventy-Eight**

It had been a long drive and the closer they got to Joey home town, the tenser, Joey became. Charlie glanced across at Joey worriedly.

"Sweetheart, what's on your mind?" she asked.

Obviously she knew that Joey was upset about her mother and she was afraid of seeing her family again but somehow it felt more than that.

"I'm just a little nervous about you seeing where I come from," Joey admitted. "I mean, you grew up with a Detective as a father with a big house and all that. My house was a shack. A rundown shack where everything was always broken. And unhappy. I'm afraid of you seeing that."

"You seriously think I'm going to judge you on where you grew up?" Charlie asked.

She held Joey's hand across the seat.

"That's the silliest thing I've ever heard."

Joey looked at their entwined hands. Joey stroked Charlie's fingers.

"Thank you," she said.

***

An hour and a half later, the women had settled themselves into their hotel ad unpacked and Charlie was now coaxing Joey out to her parents' house.

"Okay," Joey said, sighing heavily. "Let's go."

Taking each other's hands, they walked out of their room and down the stairs, through the small reception area towards the car. Joey remembered the journey as if she had only done it yesterday and they were outside her old family home in no time. Charlie parked outside the small, white, ramshackle building and waited for Joey to lead the way. Joey paused, looking up at it, fearful of what was waiting for her. She glanced nervously at Charlie who tried to look as encouraging as possible. Joey took a breath and pushed open the car door. Charlie climbed out too and walked side by side with Joey as she approached the front door. Joey knocked loud and hard and the two of them waited in silence for someone to open up. Joey clenched her jaw involuntarily when her father opened up. A rush of memories hit her as she took in his face. Standing slightly behind her partner, Charlie looked up at the man that she had heard so many terrible stories about. He was taller than both of them and stocky, bordering on overweight. His dark hair was starting to thin and his shirt wasn't quite done up all the way revealing a hairy chest at the top. He had the same eyes as Joey except that they weren't kind. He glared at his daughter.

"Finally bothered to show up then?" he said coldly.

"Where's Mum?" Joey asked.

"In her sick bed, where do you think?"

Joey swallowed.

"Can I see her?" she asked.

"Who's this?" Mr Collins asked, nodding towards Charlie.

"This is my partner."

Joey's father looked exasperated and disgusted in equal measure.

"She's not coming in."

"Yes, she is."

"No, she's not."

"Then you can explain to Mum why she isn't getting her dying wish," Joey said firmly, fully prepared to leave.

"I'm going out," Mr Collins growled, storming out of the house, pushing past both women and yelling for his son to join him.

Brett appeared immediately. He glared at Joey and looked Charlie up and down like she was a piece of meat, making her skin crawl. Jumping in the car, they left Charlie and Joey alone. Joey watched them go, feeling sick. She felt for Charlie's hand and the two of them turned back to the open door. Stepping forward, they entered the house.

***

The living room was dark. It was just as Joey remembered it – oppressive and unpleasant. It had been witness to many scenes of arguments and pain. There was still the same old furniture around, the same rug on the floor. On the walls were the same photographs including her parents' wedding photo and pictures of Brett. There were none of her. Once upon a time there had been a couple at least but they had been taken down she supposed when she'd left home last time. Charlie held onto Joey's hand, taking in the room and noting the absence of any evidence that her girlfriend had ever lived there. She wondered what Joey was experiencing. Heading out of the room and pulling Charlie behind her, Joey moved towards the hallway and up the stairs. The first two stairs creaked as Joey had expected. Charlie studied Joey as she walked in a daze, making her way through the house towards her mother's room. At the top of the stairs, Joey looked at all the closed doors. The door on the right said 'Brett' on a plaque. Anther, she remembered was the bathroom. The next was her parents' room. Her eyes skipped past it as she settled on the room next door at the other end of the hall. It caught Charlie's attention too. The room had several bolts on it. Letting go of her girlfriend's hand, Joey headed towards the room. She ran her hands over the scratched words in the wood. Charlie stood behind her.

"My parents wouldn't let me have my own plaque," Joey softly explained. "So I carved my own name in the wood."

Sure enough, when Charlie looked, Joey's name was hacked into the wood. She desperately wanted to ask about the locks and bolts. Sensing the question, Joey turned to her.

"Dad used to lock me in," she said, chewing her lip.

"Joey..." Charlie said softly, her heart breaking.

She put a hand on Joey's waist, following her inside when Joey pushed the door open. Joey entered the room. Mostly everything was the same, except the room was being used to store papers and files now too. But her bed, desk and wardrobe were still in place and there were still bars on her windows. They had been put in when, frustrated by being locked in the room, she'd started sneaking out in a bid for freedom. Suddenly remembering something, Joey hurried over to the corner of the room by the bed. Charlie watched in surprise as Joey hauled up a floorboard.

"Yes!" she cried when it came loose.

Joey pulled out a small book and sat on the mattress. Charlie came to sit beside her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"My diary," Joey explained. "I didn't take it with me because Dad tended to search me and burn my stuff when I ran out on him and I didn't want to lose this. I hoped I'd be able to come back and get it some day. You're in here."

"I am?" Charlie asked.

"Uh huh," Joey said, flipping through the pages. "Here..."

She began to read.

_I had the most amazing night of my life tonight with the most amazing girl in the world. I don't know if I'll see her again. I guess time will tell but I hope so. She's so beautiful, so sweet and pretty much perfect. I could hardly believe she's never been with a girl before because she was AMAZING! She was incredible. I never wanted the morning to come. I know it was technically only a one night stand but it meant the world to me. She meant the world to me. There was something so special about her. Charlie is heaven sent, I'm sure of it._

Charlie and Joey were both blushing by the time Joey finished reading. Charlie held Joey's hand.

"You really are the sweetest woman on earth," Charlie said.

Joey blushed further. She leant across and kissed Charlie gently on the mouth. Pulling away, she took a deep breath.

"I'd better go and see my Mum," Joey said. "Do you want to stay in here?"

"I'll wait in the hall," Charlie said. "I'd rather not hang out in a room I can be locked into."

Joey grinned.

"I was never much of a fan of the room either," she said, standing up and leading her into the hallway.

"You ready?" Charlie said.

Joey nodded, approaching her mother's room and knocking lightly. She listened for the soft voice to beckon her in. Hearing it, she entered the room. Charlie waited outside.

***

The room was dark except for a dim lamp in the corner. Mrs Collins was propped up in bed against several large cushions. She was pale and frail and looked weak. Joey couldn't help but feel compassion, although she didn't think past hurts would ever completely subside.

"Joey!" Mrs Collins said joyfully when her daughter crept into the room.

"Hi, Mum," Joey greeted softly.

"Oh, my Joey. It's so wonderful to see you. They said you wouldn't come but I knew you would. I knew you would."

"Of course I came," Joey said, still softly.

She came to perch on the edge of the bed.

"They told me you needed me so I came."

Her mother reached out to hold Joey's hand. Joey accepted and smiled sadly at the weak woman in front of her.

"I've missed you my baby girl."

"I've missed you too, Mum. I've missed you too."

"Oh, Joey, let me look at you," Mrs Collins said.

She gestured for her daughter to stand up. Breaking contact, Joey stood up and shyly let her mother observe her. The woman looked at her child. She took in her slim frame, shiny hair and perfect features. As she had every day, she regretted not having raised her properly, having not taken care of her, having not been the mother she should have been.

"Tell me about your life, Joey," she said when Joey sat back down. "What are you doing with yourself?"

"Well I'm living on the coast now," Joey explained. "I'm a youth worker, working with kids who haven't had a good start in life. I'm engaged to a beautiful woman called Charlie and I live with her and her little sister who's expecting a baby later this year and our friend and her son."

"You're engaged?" Mrs Collins asked.

Joey showed her the ring Charlie had given her.

Her mother held onto her hand and examined the ring, impressed.

"Wow!" she said with as much enthusiasm as her sickness would permit. "I'm so happy for you Joey. Do you have a photograph of her?"

"She's waiting for me in the hallway," Joey told her.

"Could I... Would you let me... let me meet her?" Mrs Collins asked.

Joey was surprised that she would want to.

"If... if you'd like to, I would love for you to meet her," Joey replied.

Mrs Collins beamed at her daughter who stood up and hurried to the door.

***

Charlie was surprised when Joey reappeared so suddenly.

"Mum wants to meet you," Joey said, looking giddy. "Would you mind?"

"I'd love to meet her," Charlie said, getting to her feet from where she'd been sitting at the top of the stairs.

Joey beamed at her and Charlie followed her into the room. Her eyes rested on the obviously unwell woman lying in bed. She stood behind Joey who perched on the edge of the bed.

"Mum, this is Charlie," Joey introduced."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Mrs Collins," Charlie said politely.

"And you, Charlie," Mrs Collins said. "It's lovely to meet the woman who seems to make my girl so happy. I've never seen her eyes light up the way they did when she mentioned you just now."

Joey and Charlie blushed.

"Joey, I'm so proud of you," Mrs Collins said. "And I am so sorry for everything you've been through."

"Mum, you don't need to do this now..." Joey said.

"I do," Mrs Collins insisted. "If I don't do it now, I will never get the chance. I need to make my peace, Joey. I... we treated you abysmally all your life."

Joey studied her shoes. Her heart was racing. Charlie put her hand on Joey's shoulder.

"I watched you get hurt time and again and I never stepped in and I am so, so sorry," Mrs Collins continued. "I'm a terrible mother. I never stood up for you when I should have. I never took care of you. I never showed you the love that was in my heart and I will never ever forgive myself for that."

"Mum..."

"I beg you to forgive me..."

"I do forgive you," Joey said.

It was the truth and it surprised Joey by the way it came out so quickly. She realised that all she'd ever wanted from her Mum was for her to acknowledge how she'd treated her and be sorry for it. She appreciated Charlie's hand on her shoulder. She reached up to touch her.

"I have always loved you, sweetheart," Mrs Collins said, becoming more emotional. "And I am so, so sorry. So sorry."

"I know, Mum," Joey said. "And I forgive you. I do."

Mrs Collins looked at Charlie.

"Does she know all that happened?" she asked Joey.

Joey nodded.

"You must hate us all," Mrs Collins said to her daughter's partner.

"I don't hate anyone," Charlie replied.

"I know I have no right to ask but you'll take care of my girl, won't you?" Mrs Collins asked.

"Of course I will," Charlie said.

"She already does," Joey said. "She's amazing."

"I'm glad," Mrs Collins said. "You deserve to be happy, Joey. After everything we put you through."

"Mum..."

"Sorry. I'm going on, aren't I?"

"It's okay," Joey said softly. "Everything's okay now. Listen, why don't I make us some tea?"

***

Charlie and Mrs Collins sat alone in the bedroom together while Joey went to make cups of tea in the kitchen. Perched awkwardly on the side of the bed, Charlie didn't know what to say to the mother of the woman she loved.

"Tell me about my Joey," Mrs Collins asked.

"What about her?" Charlie enquired.

"What's she like?"

"Oh, she's wonderful, Mrs Collins," Charlie said dreamily. "She's smart and funny and kind. She works so hard with the kids in her care and she does so much for them. They really respond to her. One of them, this young girl, has got so attached to her that she hardly knows what to do with herself when Joey isn't around. And she's a hero. She's saved lives including mine. My sister's sixteen and pregnant and Joey is so good with her. She helps her during her morning sickness and she buys little gifts for her and the baby. The three of us and the baby are all going to get a little house together. Oh, and Joey's so popular in our hometown. Everybody loves her. You really should be so proud, Mrs Collins. She's amazing. She really is."

Mrs Collins beamed at her.

"I am proud. I was always secretly proud of her. When her Dad was furious because of something she'd done, I always thought she was brave. She always stood out from the crowd, stood up for what she believed in. She was always special."

"She's definitely special," Charlie agreed.

"Even though she didn't officially come out for a number of years, we'd known she was gay since she was tiny."

Charlie just smiled.

"When did you come out?" Mrs Collins asked.

"Joey's my first um... my first relationship with a woman," Charlie admitted.

"Oh, I see."

"It was only through meeting her that I realised I was g..."

Charlie stopped, suddenly thinking through what she'd been about to say. She turned it over in her mind.

"It was only through meeting Joey that I realised I was gay," she said more firmly.

Joey arrived back in the room just as Charlie said the words. She nearly dropped her tray in surprise. Charlie had just referred to herself as gay. Giving her girlfriend a quizzical look and receiving only a grin in return, Joey set the tray down and sat beside her.

***

The three women sat talking for half an hour.

"Joey, I need you to go and find something for me," Mrs Collins said.

Joey looked at her mother curiously.

"In the basement, there's a large box. It's for you. Don't open it until you get home but take it now, before Brett and your Dad get home. You have a car, right?"

"Yeah, Charlie drove us here," Joey said. "What's in it?"

"You'll find out when you get home," Mrs Collins said, obviously not wanting to talk about it. "Go and put it in the car now and come back, will you?"

"Okay," Joey said uncertainly.

***

A short while later, Charlie and Joey had hauled the large box into the boot of the car and returned to Mrs Collins. They had only been settled back in the bedroom, for a few minutes when they heard the front door slam. Charlie observed both mother and daughter tense.

"Joey, it's my birthday tomorrow," Mrs Collins said.

"I know," Joey said.

She dug around in her bag and handed her mother a card. Mrs Collins accepted it gratefully.

"I'd love it if you would come to dinner."

"Oh, no, I can't, Mum," Joey replied, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I can't."

Mrs Collins looked crushed.

"Charlie can come," she said hopefully.

"Dad would never allow that."

"He would if it was what I wanted," Mrs Collins pointed out.

"I can't sit through a meal with that man. I'm sorry," Joey said.

"Please?"

Joey looked from her mother to her lover.

"Please?" Mrs Collins begged again.

Joey sighed heavily and relented.

***

That night, Charlie and Joey lay side by side in the bed of the hotel.

"Did I hear you referring to yourself as gay today, Charlie?" Joey asked with the hint of amusement in her voice.

Charlie coloured.

"Might have done," she replied.

Joey grinned and reached for her partner's hand.

"Did we make a big step?"

"Might have done."

Joey shifted onto her side, trying to make out her girlfriend's features in the dimness of the room. She smiled.

"The word came out when I wasn't thinking," Charlie admitted, also turning to face Joey. "It was in a state of relaxation, when I was talking easily and calmly when I wasn't analyzing and trying to ascertain what and who I was. I guess even though there has been attraction to men in the past, really, deep down what I've known all along is that I'd only ever truly be happy with a woman. And out of all the women in the world, I'd only ever truly be happy with you. If that makes me gay then so be it. I can live with that."


	79. Chapter 79

**Chapter Seventy-Nine**

Joey was an emotional wreck. She felt grateful that Charlie had been able to accompany her on this trip home. She didn't think she would have survived even this far without her, let alone what was to come tonight. For the millionth time she wondered why she had agreed to sit down to dinner with the people who had made her life a living hell for the best part of her childhood. They had left the house yesterday with a few cross words with Joey's father and brother, similar to how they had arrived and then they had gone for a meal in the hotel they were staying at. They'd stayed in their hotel room talking and holding each other for most of the night before crashing out exhausted from their long journey and the emotions of the day. Now, up early, Joey didn't know what to do with herself. She was afraid of the evening and couldn't settle.

"Why don't you show me round this place?" Charlie suggested brightly.

"Show you round?" Joey asked from where she lay stretched out on the bed.

Charlie nodded from where she sat in the arm chair in the corner of the room.

"You want to see where I grew up?"

"I do."

Joey turned the idea over in her mind. It might be nice to show Charlie where she'd existed as a child, where she'd lived, worked, gone to school and caused trouble. It might be fun to share some memories with her. She nodded slowly and smiled, sitting up.

"Okay," she agreed. "Although, we may need to be a little careful about bumping into people."

Charlie looked curious.

"I have a bit of a reputation here."

"Sweetheart, you have a reputation everywhere," Charlie giggled.

"Hey! No fair!" Joey protested. "I mean, it's true but... cheap shot!"

***

Before lunch, Joey took Charlie for a slow walk around the small town. She took her to the park that she used to hang around in after school when she got the chance. She took her into the woods and was thrilled when the little tree house she'd built was still there, even more so when some kids arrived and played in it like they'd built it themselves. Despite herself, Joey was having a nice time. It almost felt good to be back; well it did now that she had Charlie with her. And showing her girlfriend round town was a good distraction from thinking about the evening ahead. Deciding to wander towards a cafe for lunch, the girls had to pass the school.

"Is this where you studied?" Charlie asked.

"Yep," Joey said.

Charlie couldn't read any emotion. They stopped and looked up at the building.

"Joey Collins as I live and breathe!" exclaimed a male voice.

Both women turned to see a man in a tracksuit standing nearby watching them. He was tall with dark hair and looked rugged with day old stubble. Smiling at them he looked like the friendliest person they had met so far on their visit. Suddenly, Joey launched into a smile, broke into a run and hurled herself into his arms. Charlie looked on in amusement as Joey screeched the name 'David' and the man, presumably David whirled her round in his strong arms. They hugged before he set her down on the ground. Gathering her senses together again, Joey called Charlie over. Clutching Charlie's hand, Joey made introductions.

"Charlie, this is my best friend from high school. David, this is my fiancée, Charlie."

Past and present shook hands and greeted each other warmly.

"Fiancée, hey?" David said, clearly impressed. "When's the big day?"

"February 14th next year," Joey said.

"Should I expect my invitation in the post?" he teased.

"Absolutely! What's your address?" Joey asked seriously.

"Really?" he asked. "I was joking. You want me there?"

"David, you're my oldest friend," Joey said. "I'd love for you to be there."

He dug around in his pocket and handed over a slightly screwed up business card. She accepted it happily and put it in her own pocket.

"So, you're a teacher now?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. "Had to do something with my life, you know. Following in Dad's footsteps seemed as good an idea as any. And I never was brave like you. I never came out and left town like you did."

Two of the many things that had bonded Joey and David were that they were both gay and both desperate for freedom. While Joey had admitted the truth and run for her life, David had stayed mostly in the closet and stayed put. Joey smiled sadly.

"Hey, you should come for a visit," she suggested.

He brightened up.

"That'd be awesome," he said. "Maybe I could get to know the place before I come up for the wedding."

Joey grinned at him, picturing some good nights out.

"Hey, I was sorry to hear about your Mum, Joey. I guess that's why you're here."

"Wouldn't be for any other reason," Joey admitted, squeezing Charlie's hand a little tighter.

"I wouldn't hang around the school too long," David said, a hint of humour in his voice. "Mrs Perry still runs it."

Joey laughed.

"I'm sure she's forgiven me by now!" she said.

"I don't think so! That woman holds grudges!"

Charlie looked at Joey quizzically.

"I may have got into a bit of trouble here when I was a kid."

"You do surprise me," Charlie said sarcastically.

"She's still a troublemaker then?" David commented.

"Just a little," Charlie grinned.

She turned back to Joey.

"What did you do?"

"I may have staged a sit-in."

"On the roof," David added.

Charlie didn't know why she was surprised.

"What were you protesting against?" she asked.

"Shoddy cafeteria food," Joey said.

"The part that Mrs Perry hasn't forgiven Joey for is where she began hurling various specimens of said cafeteria food off the roof and a piece of bacon hit her in the face."

Charlie snorted with laughter.

"It's not like it was mashed potato or something!" Joey protested.

***

Having left David, Joey led Charlie to a cafe. She was painfully aware of the fact that she recognised almost everybody in there and worse, that almost everybody recognised her. This was the part of showing Charlie round town that she was nervous about. Joey knew that Charlie thought a lot of her and while the two of them joked about her reputation, Joey was aware that many people in this town really did not think much of her at all. She didn't want Charlie's idea of her to be tainted by her past. Sitting at their table, they waited to be served. A tall, stout woman with short curly hair approached.

"Haven't seen you here in a long time," she said to Joey.

"Haven't been here in a long time," Joey replied.

"I presume you haven't recovered from your lesbian ways," the woman said.

"Nope, I'm revelling in them, thank you very much."

The woman frowned.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked.

"Yes, I'd like to order the fish please."

Charlie suppressed a smirk. The woman looked unimpressed.

"And for you?" she asked impolitely.

"Lasagne, please," she requested.

The woman nodded and hurried away, no doubt to gossip with her colleagues, who had all been watching.

"Still causing trouble wherever you go, I see," said a voice.

Joey turned and stopped still. She had come face to face with her first love, Claudia Stevenson. Her mouth hung open. Claudia smiled at her. Charlie eyed them curiously and a little uncomfortably.

"How are you, Joey?" Claudia asked.

"I'm good, thanks. How are you?"

"I'm okay. Who's this?"

"This is my fiancée, Charlie," Joey explained, reaching proudly for Charlie's hand.

"Hi," Charlie said.

Claudia moved her chair to sit at their table. She extended her hand to shake Charlie's.

"Hi there," she said. "I'm Claudia."

Charlie blanched, shaking Claudia's hand. She glanced at Joey who kept hold of her hand, running her thumb over her palm. Feeling a little reassured, Charlie turned her attention back to Joey's first sexual partner.

"So, you're the woman who ended up with Joey?" Claudia asked. "Lucky girl."

"And you're the woman who started her off?" Charlie said quietly. "Also pretty lucky."

Joey observed their interaction. It felt very strange to have them seated opposite each other. It wasn't something she ever thought would happen.

"So, um, Claudia, how have you been?" Joey asked, changing the subject.

"Fine," she replied. "Still teaching. Still married. Fine."

Joey couldn't help but wonder if she continued to have lesbian affairs with her students. Charlie wondered the same thing.

"What are you doing with your life now?"

"I live further up the coast with Charlie and her sister," Joey explained. "I'm working at a youth centre. Preparing to be an aunt... sort of. Charlie's sister's having a baby. Looking forward to the wedding. Getting ready to move house. Generally being a grown up for the first time in my life."

Joey grinned.

"I'm impressed!" Claudia said. "And Charlie, what do you do?"

"I'm a police officer," Charlie said.

"Wow," Claudia replied. "How did you two meet?"

"We met in a club a few years ago," Charlie said. "Joey swept me off my feet."

Joey blushed.

"She's pretty breathtaking, hey?" Claudia said.

"Yeah, she is," Charlie agreed.

Joey blushed more. She looked between the two women. Claudia had vibrant, blonde, curly hair. Charlie had striking, dark locks. They both had piercing, blue eyes that hid their souls unless you really knew them. Once upon a time, Joey would have done anything for Claudia. She had essentially been her plaything, someone to be picked up and put down according to her work and husband schedule. Now there was no competition. Charlie was Joey's world and nothing and nobody could ever change that. Joey loved Charlie more than life itself. Seeing Claudia again only made that truth more real.

"Claudia."

All three looked up when a male voice interrupted them.

"James," Claudia greeted, feeling and sounding like she had been caught out.

She stood and kissed her husband on the cheek. He glared at Joey. She didn't react.

"It was good catching up with you, Joey," Claudia said politely. "And nice to meet you, Charlie."

"And you," Charlie and Joey said in unison.

James still didn't speak to them as he sat at his own table with his wife, away from her companions.

"Well, that was interesting," Charlie commented.

***

After they had eaten, Joey took Charlie down to the docks, where she had spent most of her time as a kid. It was where she stored her happy memories. Sitting on the edge of the wharf, both women took their shoes off and dangled their feet in the water, side by side.

"So when you talk about your happy place, this is it?" Charlie asked.

Joey nodded, looking out onto the horizon.

"How do you feel being back here?"

"Back in this specific place or back in town?" Joey asked.

"In town."

"It's a mix of emotions really," Joey said. "I never thought I'd see this place again. I never really wanted to. But then, if I wasn't here I'd never have made peace with my Mum and I'm glad I have. She seemed so desperate for me to forgive her."

"She did," Charlie agreed.

"I didn't realise how sorry she was for everything that's gone before. I honestly didn't know she cared."

"No woman could see her child suffer and not be affected by it," Charlie said thoughtfully.

"A lot of it was her fault," Joey said. "She let me get hurt because it meant that she wouldn't. If he was beating me up, he was leaving her alone. It's been good to make peace for that."

Charlie put an arm around Joey's shoulders, wondering how a mother could behave that way. But then, many could ask how a mother could give her child away, even under the circumstances Charlie had found herself in. She sighed heavily and held Joey closer.

"Plus, it's been nice to see David," Joey said, sounding brighter. "And I get an extra guest on my side of the church."

"And you got to see Claudia," Charlie said quietly.

Joey eyed her curiously, a smile twitching at the corners of her lips.

"Do I detect jealousy, Senior Constable Buckton?" she asked.

Charlie chewed her lip and looked out to sea.

"No," she lied.

It hadn't been lost on her that Claudia was strikingly beautiful.

"It was strange to see her again," Joey said. "It was nice even."

Charlie looked down.

"Do you know what I thought to myself when we were talking to her?"

"Do I want to know?" Charlie asked.

"I was thinking how lucky I was."

"To have slept with her?"

"To have you. Women like Claudia come and go. Yeah, she's attractive and she was good for me at the time. I mean, I'd never want to change what happened between us because it's part of what's made me who I am. It's part of my life experience. But once upon a time I would have done anything for that woman. It makes me laugh now. I thought so much of her and she's nothing compared to you. You're my world, Charlie. You're everything I could ever want and more and I love you so much. I'm the luckiest woman in the world to have you. Sitting there between you two this afternoon... there truly was no comparison."

Charlie blushed, gazing into Joey's eyes as she spoke so earnestly.

"That's pretty much what I was thinking about," Joey finished.

Charlie rewarded her with a soft kiss. Brushing their lips together, they let the world float away from them, losing themselves in bliss.

***

Having dressed in the smartest clothes they had packed, Charlie ad Joey approached the Collins residence. On their jaunt round town that day, they'd bought Mrs Collins a bunch of flowers and a DVD of _Mary Poppins_, a film that Joey remembered her loving while Joey was growing up. Waiting for the door to open, Joey was gripping them as if her life depended on them. Noticing, Charlie rescued the flowers. They both looked up when the door opened. Mr Collins stood there looking unimpressed.

"We don't want you here," he said, blocking their entrance.

"We don't want to be here," Joey replied.

"Fuck off then."

"I wish we could but Mum made a special request so it looks like we all have to grin and bear it."

Charlie had never heard Joey sound so hard and void of emotion before. It was strange and unreal. Relenting, Joey's father stepped aside unhappily. The three of them passed through the shabby living room and into the kitchen. Mrs Collins was seated at the table surrounded by cushions and holding an oxygen mask, looking pale in the sunlight pouring through the window. Brett was opening a bottle of wine. He was wearing jeans and a checked shirt. He looked up and glared at Joey, glancing a little more appreciatively at Charlie who immediately felt uncomfortable.

"Joey! Charlie!" Mrs Collins said, pulling the mask aside. "I'm so happy to see you."

"How are you feeling Mum?" Joey asked, approaching the table.

"She's dying," Mr Collins said. "How do you think she's feeling?"

Joey ignored him and handed over the wrapped DVD. Mrs Collins dived in and was elated by the gift. She kissed her daughter on the cheek. Charlie approached with the flowers. Mrs Collins accepted them happily, thanking her and kissing her cheek also.

"Brett, could you put them in water, please?" Mrs Collins asked.

Brett nodded and took the flowers, fussing with a vase.

"I made seafood bouillabaisse," Mr Collins told his daughter.

It was his speciality dish and always had been since she was a girl. She tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach that signified happy memories. She had spent her life forgetting happy memories of her father.

"Sounds good," she said, smiling tightly and seating herself next to her mother.

Charlie sat down beside her girlfriend.

***

They had been eating for a few minutes and made polite conversation that hadn't really involved Charlie or Joey. Neither Mr Collins nor Brett wanted to know about their guests. They had been horrified when Mrs Collins had informed them that she'd requested the girls come to dinner. But it meant a lot to her and with her so frail the boys hadn't wanted to disappoint.

"Keith, why don't you tell Joey how the boat's doing?" Mrs Collins suggested, desperate for father and daughter to talk.

"If she wanted to know, she'd ask."

Seeing how desperate her mother was, Joey spoke up.

"How's the boat?" she asked.

"It's going good," her father told her. "Got a high school girl working on it at weekends. Hopefully she won't turn out like you."

Joey clenched her jaw, forcing herself not to take the bait. She appreciated Charlie touching her hand briefly under the table.

"Joey's working in a youth centre now," Mrs Collins said. "Isn't that lovely?"

"So I hear," Mr Collins said, focussing on his food.

"Joey shaping young minds. Whoever thought that was a good idea needs his head testing," Brett commented.

"Well, he thought after all the shit I got put through as a kid, that I'd be able to relate," Joey snapped.

"Why, are all the kids in your care as unruly and evil as you were?" Mr Collins asked.

"I was only ever unruly in relation to the way you treated me."

"We only ever treated you with discipline because that's what it took to control you."

"Yeah, it was all about control, wasn't it, Dad?"

"Maybe we should all calm down a little?" Mrs Collins suggested, taking a breath from her mask before she was able to continue eating.

Mr Collins and Joey both took noted her distress and calmed themselves by taking their own deep breaths. The room descended into silence as everyone began eating again.

"So, Charlie, what do you do?" Mrs Collins tried.

Charlie shifted uncomfortably, sure that her occupation wouldn't help in this particular room.

"I'm uh..."

"She's a cop," Brett said, remembering checking her out when he'd tracked Joey down before.

"You brought a fucking cop into my fucking house?" Mr Collins yelled at Joey.

"Why?" Joey challenged. "Afraid you've done something wrong? Oh, that's right – you have. Thousands and thousands of times."

"Don't you dare take that tone with me, Joey."

"I'll take any tone with you that I like if you so much as look badly at my girlfriend," Joey warned.

Charlie touched Joey's leg under the table, silently pleading with her to calm down. Joey glanced at her and then at her mother who had begun to cry quietly, clinging to her oxygen mask for dear life. Joey exhaled, preparing to relent.

"Your girlfriend?" Mr Collins laughed, clearly not willing to do the same.

He clearly wasn't giving up quite so willingly.

"Don't you dare come into my house and start brandishing your disgusting, lesbian lifestyle!"

"Dad, I've referred to Charlie as my girlfriend!" Joey said, exasperated. "I'm not having sex with her in your pot of bouillabaisse!"

Charlie swallowed her laugh, knowing that it would be completely inappropriate to so much as smile at that precise moment in time but the image Joey had presented was hilarious.

"Please could we just have a nice family meal?" Mrs Collins begged.

"These two are _not_ family," Mr Collins said unkindly.

"And neither do we want to be," Joey replied.

"Fine. Let's leave it there and just eat together," Mrs Collins said a little breathlessly. "Please?"

She tugged on her mask again.

"Okay," Joey said, looking into her tearful face.

"Fine," Mr Collins agreed.

Charlie and Brett nodded.

***

A whole five minutes passed and the meal was nearly over. Mrs Collins was relieved and hopeful that the motley crew may have pulled off a success after all.

"So, Charlie, did Joey show you round town?" Brett asked, deciding someone ought to break the painful silence.

It seemed if they weren't all arguing they were quiet. He hoped this was a neutral enough question at least.

"Yeah, we had a really nice day seeing all the sights," Charlie enthused.

"Did you see that queer boy you used to run around with?" Mr Collins asked Joey.

Joey just glared at her father. He looked at Brett.

"What's his name? David?"

"Yes, we saw David and I'd appreciate it if you didn't refer to him that way."

"I'll refer to him however I like and I for one think it's disgusting that he's passing himself off as a sports teacher."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Joey demanded.

"Well he's queer, isn't he? He shouldn't be allowed to watch boys get changed."

Mrs Collins felt her world beginning to dissolve again. She didn't want to have the gay argument again. It always ended in violence.

"I don't think David is going to be interested in watching his students getting changed."

"Why not?" Mr Collins challenged. "Your teacher was interested in watching _you _changed, wasn't she?"

Joey blanched and glanced at Charlie. It had never been said aloud in this house before.

"What?" Mrs Collins shrieked, before wheezing.

Joey looked worriedly at her.

"Well?" Mr Collins said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's inappropriate," Joey said darkly.

"What did your teacher do to you?" Mrs Collins asked worriedly. "Joey, did your teacher do something to you?"

"No, Mum. Nothing," Joey insisted.

"Always the liar," Brett said smugly.

"Joey, please?" Joey's mother pleaded.

She breathed her oxygen in heavily. Charlie's heart broke as she stared between mother and daughter.

"You're not helping," Joey hissed at her brother.

Brett just laughed and helped himself to seconds.

"Joey?" Mrs Collins.

Joey sighed and turned to her mother.

"I had a relationship with one of my teachers," she explained.

"Why didn't I know about this? Did she abuse you?" Mrs Collins asked, sounding high pitched.

"Nobody knew about it. I didn't know Dad and Brett knew and no, she didn't hurt me in any way. I promise you," Joey said.

She glared at her father and brother thinking that there were only two bad people in her life back then. Mrs Collins stayed quiet, wondering who the teacher was.

"So," Mr Collins said, sounding smug. "It's entirely possible that your queer little friend could be getting off on his boys changing their pants."

"Let's just change the subject," Joey suggested.

She did not want to talk about this.

"You do not call the shots in this house," Mr Collins warned.

"Oh believe me, I know," Joey said. "You don't need to remind me that you're the man of the house, Dad. You're the boss!"

She was angry with him for having forced her to tell all to her mother about Claudia. It was something her mother need never have known.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me, young lady," Mr Collins exploded.

"You know what? I'm not a kid anymore and I'll take any tone with you that I like. If I don't want to discuss you implying that my friend is a pervert or not, then I won't."

"Are you saying that your Claudia is a pervert then?"

"That was different!"

"Claudia?" Mrs Collins shrieked.

Charlie put a comforting hand on Mrs Collins' arm.

"Don't you fucking touch my wife with your dyke fingers!" Mr Collins yelled, leaping to his feet.

Charlie shrank back, Mrs Collins jumped, Brett grinned and Joey leapt to her feet.

"Don't you dare threaten her!" she yelled.

"You want me to threaten you instead?" her father shouted back.

"Bring it on," Joey challenged.

Mr Collins shoved the entire table into her. It crashed straight into Joey. Brett and Charlie jumped out of the way. Mrs Collins cried out when a table leg hit her knee. Charlie hurried to move her out of the way and make sure she was okay, helping her use her oxygen mask heavily. Mr Collins charged across the room, red with rage at the girl who had disrupted his life at every turn. He'd hated her from the day she was born. Reaching his powerful arms out, he shoved her hard by her shoulders. Joey shoved him back, although with him being almost double her size he barely noticed. Charlie stood up, desperate to pull Joey away from the situation but her fiancée wasn't listening.

"You were always a waste of space. I wish you'd never been born," Mr Collins said.

"Well do you know how many times I used to sit up there in my room wishing the same damn thing?" Joey said. "And all because of you!"

"You always were an ungrateful bitch!"

Mr Collins drew back a fist and punched Joey in the face.

It was Charlie, not Joey who cried out. Mrs Collins burst into tears. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"I hate you!" Joey yelled.

This time she pushed her father hard enough to make him stumble back into the wall. She punched him in this face. Brett looked on in shock.

"I wish you were dead!"

She punched him again.

"You're the worst father in the world!"

She punched him again.

"You make me sick!"

She punched him again and felt like she could continue doing it forever.

"I hate you!"

Charlie grabbed her round the waist, dodging flying elbows and pulled her back, gently but firmly calling her name. Still yelling that she hated her father and with blood pouring from her fist and face, Joey let Charlie remove her from the house. Sinking onto the ground in tears, Joey looked up at Charlie.

"See?" she sobbed. "I told you."

"Told me what?" Charlie said, utterly confused.

"I told you who I am. I told you that I'm just like him. I told you I'd never be a good parent, that I'd never be a good person. I'm just like him, Charlie. I just assaulted someone who wasn't even fighting back. I'm just like him."

She collapsed into Charlie's arms, sobbing so hard that she struggled for breath. Charlie held her tightly, stroking her back and kissing the top of her head.

"You're not like him," she whispered. "You're not. I swear you're not."

"But I hit him," Joey cried.

"He hit you first. And you were dealing with a lifetime of pain caused by him."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does," Charlie said firmly.

They looked up when the front door of the house opened. Brett stood there. He threw Charlie's handbag at them.

"Is Dad okay?" Joey asked.

"Do you care?"

"Yes," Joey said, feeling and sounding small.

"He's fine."

He then stormed back into the house.

"I can't believe I hurt him like that," Joey said, turning to face Charlie, realising for the first time that she was shaking.

Charlie brushed Joey's hair out of her eyes.

"Joey, you know I don't condone violence and we all wish it could have turned out another way but if it had to erupt in a row, if someone had to be hurt worse than the other, I'm glad it was him and not you. You've been hurt badly enough. In a sick kind of way, it was almost therapeutic."

Joey half-laughed.

"Let's just draw a line under it now, go back home and move on, okay?"

Joey nodded and Charlie helped her to her feet, hoping she had tissues in her handbag. Just as they were making their way to the car, the door opened again. Joey braced herself for round whatever-it-was and was surprised to find her mother standing there, holding herself up on the doorframe. Both Joey and Charlie broke into a run to support her. Mrs Collins placed a tender hand on Joey's cheek. She was tearful and breathless.

"I'm sorry," Joey's mother said.

"No, I'm sorry. It shouldn't have turned out like this tonight," Joey apologised.

"It was always going to turn out like this. I was deluded to think that it wouldn't and I should never have dragged you to this meal. We should have had our bedside goodbye and left it there. I'm sorry, Joey. I'm so, so sorry for so many things."

"Mum..."

"I'm sorry for tonight. I'm sorry for every fight you had with your father and with your brother that I failed to protect you from. I'm sorry for every time I sacrificed you to save myself. I'm sorry I never engaged with your life enough that you could let me in. I'm sorry I wasn't the mother I should have been."

"Everything's okay now, Mum," Joey promised.

Mrs Collins turned to Charlie.

"Please take the care of my girl that I never did."

Charlie nodded and promised.

"I love you, Joey," her mother pledged.

"I love you, Mum."

They saw Mrs Collins safely inside and then headed to the car.


	80. Chapter 80

_Sorry I didn't manage to update after all but time got away from me a little bit. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will be back on Saturday, if not before. A few people have been asking about Interwoven and it will get updated soon but as those chapters are a bit longer, they take longer to write and I've not quite got to the end of the next one yet. But I can promise you some happiness after all the grief. For now, in this fic, Charlie and Joey return from their trip… IJKS xxx_

***

**Chapter Eighty**

Even though it was late and Charlie was tired, she recognised that Joey couldn't bear to stay in her hometown any longer so they loaded up the car, checked out of the hotel a day early and began the long journey home. It was a quiet drive except for the radio softly playing the background. The night was dark and the roads were clear, making for a slightly shorter journey back than it had been on the way there. Charlie was grateful at least for that. She glanced across at Joey who was curled up in the passenger seat, her head resting against the window. She didn't need to see her face to know that she was still crying. Taking her hand from the steering wheel, Charlie reached across and placed her palm on Joey's knee. With a tear stained face, Joey turned to her and forced a smile. She felt ashamed of herself for fighting with her Dad. She felt humiliated in front of the woman she loved most in the world. And she felt devastated to have finally found peace with her mother only for it to be the last time she would ever see her again. She un-tucked her hands from her chin and placed one over Charlie's, grateful for all the love she had brought to her life. Lifting Charlie's hand, she kissed the back of it and then returned it to her leg. She used her other hand to brush her tears away and then leant her head back against the seat.

***

Finally arriving home, the house was dark. Without even bothering to bring their bags in and too tired to function, the girls locked up the car and headed straight to their room. Stripping off, they fell into bed, cuddled up and fell right to sleep.

***

In the morning, Joey woke up several times before she was willing to admit defeat and accept that the day had begun. She was comforted by the warmth of Charlie's body next to her. Curling into her, Joey shut her eyes again and snuggled up close. She smiled as she felt Charlie stroke her hair and kiss the top of her head. Joey opened her eyes, which were swollen and puffy from crying so much the day before. Aware of this, she immediately frowned and felt self conscious.

"You're still beautiful to me," Charlie assured her, reading her thoughts.

"You're so sweet making up cute lies for me," Joey grinned, reaching up to kiss Charlie's nose as a reward.

"I genuinely think you're beautiful, puffy eyes and all," Charlie insisted.

Joey kissed her nose again and then yawned and stretched. She squeaked as she did so.

"Not to mention adorable," Charlie added.

"We should get our stuff out of the car," Joey remembered, moving to get up.

"I already did it."

"You did? Geez, what time is it?" Joey wondered.

She turned to look at the bedside clock. It was eleven thirty.

"Oops."

"It's fine," Charlie said. "You had a long few days."

"You did all the driving."

"I was only awake an hour earlier than you," Charlie said.

Joey sat up against the pillows and drew Charlie into her arms.

"Thank you for still loving me, Charlie," Joey whispered softly.

"As if I couldn't."

"You saw me punching my father. Repeatedly," Joey pointed out.

"I saw you reacting to him and dealing with twenty-four years of bottled up pain after all the things he did to you," Charlie corrected her. "I saw you trying to protect me. I saw you let me pull you away and convince you to stop. I saw you feel guilty and beg forgiveness. And I saw you make sure that he was okay."

Joey knew that it would still take a long time to forgive herself even if Charlie was prepared to excuse herself. It frightened her that she could be violent. It brought back her argument when she and Charlie had discussed children. She was afraid that she took after her father, that she could be responsible for causing pain in someone's life. She never ever wanted to be that kind of person. Yes, she'd always had a reputation of being a little naughty, a little cheeky. She'd taken liberties wherever she'd found them, pushed boundaries, grabbed every chance she could and bent every rule she'd encountered but until now she'd never ever tried to hurt somebody, aside from when she'd been saving Charlie's life and hit Skip. Joey wasn't sure what last night's events said about her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"What's that?" she asked, peering over the bed and spying a box.

"It's the box your Mum gave you," Charlie reminded her.

"Oh," Joey said. "Oh, yeah."

She crawled off the bed and with a little effort pulled the large box onto the bed. She crawled back under the bedcovers with Charlie and opened the top of the box. She gasped in surprised when she found masses of neatly wrapped gifts. Taking hold of one at a time, she read the labels. Each one appeared to be for a birthday or a Christmas, dating back to Joey's seventh birthday. Tears spilled yet again from Joey's eyes and lump formed in her throat. Charlie leant forward, wanting to see but not wanting to intrude.

"What are they?" she asked softly.

Joey reached and took a card that had been selotaped to the inside of the box.

"To my darling girl," Joey read when she had opened it. "Here is every gift you requested for a birthday and Christmas that you never received. I did buy them. I always bought them. I'm ashamed to say you never received them. In here also are the things that got confiscated from you for whatever reason. Happy birthday and happy Christmas for every single one I disappointed you on and every single one I missed. I always loved you, always thought of you and always got you something. All my love, Mum."

Joey cried harder and her fingers trembled as she put the card down and opened up one gift. It was tagged as a happy 13th birthday present. Opening it, Joey giggled. She remembered asking for a make-up set. Really, she'd had very little interest in the stuff but other girls in her school were wearing it and at lunch times they all ran off to the toilets to make themselves pretty. David's Mum sometimes treated her to it and showed her how to put it on. At first she'd squealed and yelled that she looked like a man in drag but secretly she'd felt quite special and so had requested it. That had all been part of the lead up to the 'cutting hair' saga. She'd never got her make-up until now. Setting it down in Charlie's lap, Joey opened another parcel, apparently for Christmas when she was thirteen. It looked like it was a picture frame. Furrowing her eyebrows, she opened it up and then coloured in embarrassment as the memories came flooding back. Next to her, Charlie giggled.

"The Spice Girls?" she asked. "Really?"

"I thought Ginger Spice was pretty," Joey admitted.

Charlie snorted.

"It was a phase!" Joey protested, putting the frame down.

She delved deep, moved that her mother had really done this for her. Reaching through all the other gifts and feeling like a kid again, she felt for the largest, heaviest package at the bottom. Getting onto her knees so she could pull it out and inviting Charlie to help her, they succeeded and laid it on the bed. It was a gift for Joey's tenth birthday. Joey ripped it open immediately.

"Oh my...!" Joey screeched.

It was a Scalextric racing car game. Charlie didn't think she'd ever seen her girlfriend look so excited. She looked like a child who had received the most fabulous birthday present in the world. She turned to Charlie, having turned bright pink.

"I cannot tell you how much I begged for this toy!" she squeaked.

"I can imagine!" Charlie laughed, ruffling Joey's hair.

"But I begged and pleaded and bargained! I did everything, Charlie! I cried for weeks when I didn't get it... when I didn't get anything."

Charlie was overcome with sadness.

"Will you play it with me?" Joey asked. "Not now obviously. But later? Will you play it with me?"

"Of course I will," Charlie promised. "And I bet you'll have an endless companion in VJ."

"This is the best!" Joey shrieked.

She beamed at her present and then reluctantly laid it on the floor so she could look at the rest. Happy tears began to flow. She'd spent her entire childhood, almost every birthday and Christmas thinking that nobody cared and all that time her mother had loved her. She might not have been brave enough to actually give her the gifts, but she had loved her enough to buy them and save them in hope that one day she could give them to her. She picked up the note again. Re-reading the part about confiscated gifts suddenly made a thought occur to her. Hurriedly, she delved in the box with a purpose. Charlie watched her frantically scurry about. Locating something that looked like a cuddly toy and had no note, Joey tore it open and burst into fully fledged sobs. Clutching the toy, she pushed away from the box and flung herself into Charlie's arms. Unsure of what was going on, Charlie held her, waiting patiently for an explanation. When Joey had finally calmed down, lying in Charlie's lap, she held up a tiny kangaroo.

"When I was learning to speak, I couldn't say my name. I got the Jo bit but then I would say 'e' instead of 'anne'. That's how I became Joey. I kind of named myself, I guess. My Mum thought it was cute. Even my Dad did then so they bought me this."

She waved the kangaroo at Charlie.

"I slept with him every single night until I was fifteen, had a massive fight with my Dad and he decided to take away my most important possession."

She waved the kangaroo again. Charlie stroked her hair.

"Dad told me he'd burnt him. I guess Mum saved him at the last minute."

They both smiled.

"His name's Roo by the way."

"Hello, Roo," Charlie greeted affectionately.

Joey made the toy wave at her. Charlie giggled. Setting the toy down but not too far away from them, keeping an eye on him in case she lost him again somehow, Joey sat up and kissed Charlie gently on the mouth.

"I can't believe my Mum did this for me," she said.

"I'm glad she did."

"She must have really loved me after all."

"How could she not?" Charlie replied seriously.

They kissed again before Joey began to unwrap more presents, keeping Roo safely tucked up in her lap.


	81. Chapter 81

**Chapter Eighty-One**

At work on Monday morning, Abbey was the first to greet her.

"Hi, Abbey," Joey said, still feeling exhausted from her time away.

"Hi, Joey," Abbey replied. "How was your time off?"

"Yeah, yeah, it was okay," Joey said.

"Can I help you with lunch today?" the fourteen year-old asked.

"Of course you can," Joey said, forcing herself to be bright and bubbly like she knew Abbey needed her to be. "You're my lunch time buddy."

Abbey beamed at her. She'd missed Joey while she was away. None of the other staff really noticed her except to tell her off and she hadn't really made many friends in the youth centre. She supposed she could go and venture outside it and interact with people she came across that lived in the Bay but the idea didn't seem to appealing. She was nervous of hanging out with people who had their nice little homes with their nice little families and probably had no idea of anything she had been through. She felt like she was less than other people and she wasn't yet ready to find out that she was right. That's why she liked Joey so much. Joey didn't look down on her.

***

By the time Charlie arrived home in the early evening, she was feeling pretty good. She had managed to catch a mugger red handed as she was walking back to her car at lunch and in the afternoon, some woman, an assault victim she'd taken the case of a while back who'd got a guilty verdict against the guy, hand delivered a card thanking her personally for all that she did for her. And it appeared that while she and Joey were away, Watson and Star had fallen passionately in love. \it was wonderful to see her friend so happy. Entering the house, she dumped her bag on the kitchen table and said hello to Leah who was up to her neck in cooking.

"I hope you're hungry," Leah said. "Ruby's craving chilli. It's supply and demand."

Charlie raised her eyebrows.

"She demands. I supply. And I've made enough to feed an army."

"I look forward to it. Although, with Ruby around these days, she may eat more than an army."

"I heard that!" Ruby yelled from the living room.

Giggling guiltily, Charlie headed into the lounge, stopping at the sight before her. Joey and VJ were in the middle of the floor, having set up the Scalextric track and were now racing each other round it, shrieking in excitement. Charlie was surprised she hadn't heard them from the kitchen and that Ruby had managed to hear her comment at all over the din. Her little sister was perched on an arm chair, giggling as Joey and VJ vied with each other for victory. She was certainly happier than she had been when they'd left. Over the weekend, she'd made things up with Annie who had promised not to judge her life anymore and just be a supportive friend.

"Hi guys," Charlie said.

They didn't hear her.

"I could pretty much come in doing a naked dance and she wouldn't care, would she?"

Joey's car flew off the track and she dropped the controller.

"Naked dance?" she said, grinning at Charlie hopefully.

"Ugh! Visuals like that for someone in my sensitive condition is not funny!" Ruby complained.

"I win!" VJ declared triumphantly.

"Oh, you..." Joey grumbled. "We are playing again."

She jumped to her feet, kissed Charlie on the mouth and then scurried across the room to retrieve her car. Settling down beside Leah's little boy, they prepared to start again. It had been a good day at work eventually and when she'd got home, she'd called her mother to thank her for the gifts and they'd had a nice chat.

"This is war," she told him.

"You can count on it," VJ replied seriously.

***

After a lovely and large meal and a continued evening of playing games, Charlie and Joey finally stumbled to bed. Joey immediately began to undress. Charlie paused and watched her with a thoughtful but happy smile on her face. Noticing, Joey paused in pulling her jeans down and eyed her girlfriend curiously.

"What?" she asked.

Charlie just continued to smile.

"Do I have something on my face?" Joey asked worriedly. "Is it like a massive piece of chilli that's been sitting there all evening long and no bugger decided to tell me? Have I grown two heads?"

Finally, Charlie couldn't cope with her dramatising and burst out laughing. She stepped towards Joey and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You are the most wonderful person on the planet," she said.

Joey blushed and studied a freckle of Charlie's shoulder.

"I was watching you with VJ today and I just couldn't believe that you'd ever be afraid of raising children," Charlie said softly.

Images of hitting her father rushed into Joey's head. She forced them away and looked into Charlie's eyes.

"You are so good with him," Charlie continued. "He loves you so much. He pretty much worships the ground you walk on. You love him, you support him, you play with him. He trusts you with stuff. You have such an amazing relationship."

"Do you think maybe I could have that with Ruby's baby?" Joey asked, sounding almost childlike herself.

"I'm certain you will. You have an affinity with kids, Joey. You get on so well with them."

Joey kissed her.

"Are you still thinking about when we might have our own child?" Joey asked.

Charlie chewed her lip.

"I would still really like to," she admitted. "And not to replace the one I lost, the one I gave up. Well, not completely. I mean, obviously it'll always be an emotive subject for me but it's different now."

"How?"

"I want a child with _you_, Joey. I want a baby that you and I could raise together. I want nights like we just had with our own son or daughter. Someone that we've brought into the world together. I mean, I know it wouldn't be biologically both of ours but we could get a match that was as close to the non-biological parent as possible. And we'd both be the ones to love it and raise it. I think we could do that together so well and so happily."

"When Ruby's had her baby and we've moved house and we're feeling more settled," Joey said, "let's start looking into how to do this."

Charlie smiled widely, obviously elated.

"Really?"

"Really," Joey confirmed.

She was overwhelmed by Charlie's reasons, her commitment and her loving observations. It felt like she saw Joey's true nature, through the cobwebs of her life and her family and all that had gone before. If Joey was going to raise a child with anyone, Charlie would be the perfect mother. And she wanted more than anything to make her happy.

***

The following evening, Charlie and Joey were seated round the table with their father and his wife. Roman had vacated the house to have dinner with Leah, Nicole was out with friends and Aden had assisted Joey in opting out of the meal by inviting her out for drinks. She'd gratefully accepted, telling Charlie that she didn't think her presence would help Ross, Charlie and Ruby to make peace. Charlie had reluctantly agreed, although really she would have liked her girlfriend to be there.

"So, how are you feeling these days, Ruby?" Ross asked awkwardly.

He could hardly believe he had left it so long since he'd spoken properly since his little girl. Ruby nodded and smiled.

"I'm feeling good, Dad," she said. "The morning sickness is lessening and my chances of miscarriage are pretty much over now. I mean, the whole thing is a bit uncomfortable but I feel like I'm taking to it really well. Charlie says I'm blossoming!"

She beamed at her sister who beamed back. Ross glanced at his eldest daughter who suddenly shifted and looked down at her food.

"And is the young man who put you in this position supporting you?"

"Yes, Xavier's supporting me," Ruby replied. "He took a little while to come round but we're together and he's ready and willing to be a Dad. He's being great."

"You're going to raise the baby together?"

"Well, I'm going to live with Charlie and Joey. We're getting a place together but Xavier's going to see the baby every day and we're going to carry on seeing each other and everything."

Ross nodded. Charlie hadn't missed the sour look on her Dad's face at the mention of Joey's name.

"And how are things with you, Charlie?" he asked.

"Things are good for me, thanks, Dad," Charlie replied. "There's talk at work that I might be in line for temporary promotion at work."

"Oh really?"

"Fitzy's going on maternity leave and needs someone to step up in her place while she's gone and there's a rumour going round that it might be me. I don't know though. We all find out next week."

"Good luck, Charlie," Morag said pleasantly.

"Yes, good luck," Ross enthused. "And how's um... how's Joey?"

"She's... she's okay," Charlie said, pleasantly surprised that he was willing to ask. "She's having a pretty tough time because her Mum's dying and well, you already know that she had a difficult childhood. But she's coping. And you might have heard that she started working at the youth centre last month. She's really enjoying that. She's doing well there."

"I'm sorry to hear about her mother," Ross said sincerely. "That's tragic for anyone to go through."

"Tell her congratulations on her job though," Morag said brightly. "It's good that she's doing well. I did hear about it. Alf was sad to lose her. He's quite fond."

Charlie smiled broadly. Disliking Morag back when she'd first met her seemed like a world away now.

"Hey, Charlie and Joey have set a date now," Ruby blurted out, forgetting for a moment how unsupportive their father really was.

She remembered when Ross began to study his food. Morag smiled.

"Oh? That's lovely. When is the wedding?" she asked.

"February 14th next year," Charlie said delicately.

"That's a bit cliché, isn't it?" Ross asked.

"It's meant to be romantic," Ruby told him.

Charlie smiled her thanks.

"We'll be there," Morag said.

Ross glanced sharply at his wife.

"Won't we, Ross?"

He sighed.

"Yes," he said tiredly.

"Don't force yourself, Dad," Charlie snapped.

"I wouldn't miss my daughter's wedding for the world," he promised.

While he may not like the person she was marrying, he knew he couldn't stay away. He desperately wanted to be supportive even though standing up and watching Charlie pledge her life to that girl would be one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. With a lifetime of difficulties, particularly concerning Charlie, it was quite a statement.

***

"Wow! You and Charlie are really thinking about having a baby next year?" Aden exclaimed.

Joey nodded triumphantly, swigging her beer. He looked stunned. He had looked stunned for much of the evening as she filled him in on much of her news. She'd told him the date of the wedding and happily accepted her request that he be her best man. She'd excitedly told him about how positive Miles was being about her work and sadly shared her experiences of going home. He'd requested an invitation to come round and play with her racing car game and supported hers and Charlie's decision to move out with Charlie and Ruby. Having asked Ruby if it was alright to start telling people, Joey had surprised him with news of her future sister-in-law's pregnancy and he had asked her to pass on his congratulations.

"That's so exciting!" he said, swigging his own beer.

"So, do you think you and Belle will get married any time soon?" she asked.

"Well, actually, I was considering proposing actually," he admitted shyly.

"Really? Because I was just teasing!"

"I know. But I was thinking about it. I just love her so much and I can't help thinking well, why not just go for it, you know? Well, I guess you do know or else you wouldn't have said yes to Charlie, would you?"

"You and Belle do make a beautiful couple," Joey said.

"Thanks! Hey, if I do ask, you can be my best woman if you like," he grinned.

"I should hope so!"

***

Morag was making coffee in the kitchen and Ruby was using the bathroom for the fifteenth time, leaving Charlie and Ross alone in the living room.

"Charlie, um, while we've got this time alone..." Ross ventured.

Charlie eyed her father her father cautiously, a little nervous of what was to come next.

"I want to apologise to you," he said. "I reacted badly to Ruby's pregnancy. But not just to Ruby, to you too. I was harsh with you about getting ideas and when you told me that you'd told Joey about what happened. And I'm..."

His voice caught in his throat. A tear rolled down his cheek.

"I'm..."

He brushed the tears away as they kept coming. Moved, Charlie leant over and held his hand.

"I'm sorry for making you brush everything under the carpet when you were a child, Charlie. I thought... I thought I was doing right by you, truly I did. I only ever wanted to do right by you. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to make things worse."

"I know," Charlie said softly.

"I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

Both of them turned to see Ruby standing behind them looking utterly bewildered. They stared right back at her.

"Dad? Charlie? Sorry for what?"

"Um..." Charlie managed.

"Right everybody, here are your coffees..." Morag announced.

She stopped very still when she realised she'd walked in on yet another scene.

Charlie shook her head, suddenly springing to life.

"Dad was just apologising for not coming to the engagement party," she lied.

"He was apologising for something in the past, Charlie," Ruby corrected her. "He said something about brushing things under the carpet when you were a child."

Charlie looked at her father in panic. He looked helplessly back at her.

"What's going on?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, do enlighten us," Morag probed, putting the tray down.

"It's nothing," Ross said.

"It didn't sound like nothing."

"I don't really want coffee," Charlie said, beginning to feel sick.

She didn't want Ruby to know about the baby any more than Ross did but her mind had gone blank as to something to tell her instead. And she knew her sister would be like a dog with a bone with this now she knew there was something to know.

"Fine," Ruby said, right on cue. "Let's go home and you can tell me there."

Charlie looked at her father in defeat.

"Let's go," she said to her sister.

She'd figure out what to do on the way.

***

Once they were at home, Charlie as more than ready to excuse herself to bed, ignore the problem and go to sleep but Ruby was not willing to play ball.

"What are you and Dad hiding from me?" she asked, standing between her sister and her sister's bedroom.

Charlie shifted uncomfortably, noticing for the first time that Ruby looked a little frightening now that she was that much larger.

"Nothing," she lied.

"Charlie…"

"Ruby, I don't want to talk about it."

"Charlie Buckton, you're my sister. I love and accept everything about you. You lied to me when you started dating Joey and it nearly cost you your relationship. You were so ashamed and you were so misguided because you thought I wouldn't understand but I did. I understood because I love you. There is nothing too big that I wouldn't at least try and get my head around it. What's bugging me is that there's something going on in your life that I don't know about. Now would you just tell me? What gives?"

Sighing and cursing her sister for making such a valid point, Charlie moved to sit on the couch. Ruby came to sit beside her, waiting expectantly for her sister to talk. Without looking at her and swallowing hard, Charlie opened her mouth.

"Ruby, do you remember when I went a bit strange?" she asked.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific there, Charlie," Ruby cracked.

Charlie laughed and cried both at the same time. Ruby reached for her hand.

"When you um… when you told me about the baby."

"Yeah," Ruby said quietly.

"Well, it was because um… you see, the thing is that…"

Charlie wracked her brains to try and remember how she had told Joey but she came up blank.

"I had… When I was younger… much younger… like younger than you… Well, the… I…"

She bowed her head and rubbed her eyes.

"When I was twelve I had a child," she blurted out quickly.

Ruby just stared at her. Charlie kept her head in her hands but she could feel the way Ruby's eyed burned into hers. They both jumped when they heard someone charging through the door.

"Hello?"

Joey came bounding through the house a little inebriated. She sobered up the moment she saw the siblings on the sofa in the middle of what looked like a very serious conversation.

"What's going on?" she asked anxiously.

"Did you know that Charlie had a baby when she was a kid?" Ruby accused, as if it was Joey's fault.

Joey blanched and hurried to the side of a very broken looked Charlie who promptly began to sob. Perched on the arm of the chair, she put her arm around her and glanced at Ruby.

"What happened to the baby?" Ruby asked a little more kindly, her mind reeling.

"I gave her up for adoption," Charlie managed.

Ruby just blinked. She couldn't imagine giving her own baby away. As far as she was concerned, if you did the crime, you did the time.

"But that's so selfish," she said, without really thinking.

Charlie cried harder and leant against Joey.

"Ruby, that's not fair," Joey warned.

"Sorry," Ruby said. "I just… I don't understand how could give your baby away, no matter how young you were."

"There were… circumstances," Charlie said between sobs.

She wiped her eyes hurriedly and looked between her sister and her fiancée.

"What circumstances?" Ruby asked, suddenly gentle.

"I was um… I was…"

She looked at Joey, suddenly finding the word was stuck in her throat.

"Please?" she said softly.

Joey closed her eyes, not wanting to say it either. Opening up again, she turned to Ruby.

"Ruby, the reason that Charlie wasn't able to raise her baby, not only because she was just a child herself was because… was because she was raped," Joey said softly.

She thought her heart was breaking as she and Charlie clung on to each other. Silent tears began to spill down Ruby's cheeks. Without speaking, she shifted along the cushions and held onto her sister.

"I'm sorry," she apologised when Charlie had accepted her into her arms.

***

After a while of consoling each other, Ruby finally spoke up.

"I thought you were ashamed of me," she admitted.

"Ashamed?" Charlie said.

The three women were still on the sofa together. It was nearly midnight.

"When I told you that I was pregnant you seemed so sad and subdued and I thought it was because you were disappointed in me. But now I guess it was because it brought up issues or something."

"Yes, it did," Charlie said. "It was never ever about being ashamed of you. In all my life I've never been anything but proud, Rubes."

"I'm glad. I mean, not glad that it brought up issues for you but glad that you weren't ashamed. I've been afraid of that all this time."

Charlie reached out to give her sister a hug.

"When you told us about the baby, it opened up a door to the past, I guess. I broke down and ended up telling Joey everything and I'd never told anyone anything before so it was all a bit of a shock," Charlie explained. "It had always been a secret between Mum, Dad and me."

"Is that why you and Joey were talking about having a baby together?" Ruby asked.

"I thought having a baby ourselves would fill a void."

"But we realised it wouldn't. But we decided a couple of days ago that once we're settled and your baby's been born, we actually will start trying ourselves," Joey added.

"Really?" Ruby said excitedly. "That's so cool! Then they'll be cousins and playmates!"

Charlie smiled happily.

"Do you think about your baby much, Charlie?"

"Every day for nearly fifteen years," Charlie replied.

"Was it a boy or a girl?"  
"She was a baby girl. I named her Grace. I guess the new parents would have changed it but to me she'll always be called that."

Joey held her partner's hand.

"Part of me wishes I'd never let her go but part of me knows I did the right thing. I could never have raised her in the state I was in, not even if I was older. I was so broken, such a mess. But I did love her. I still do and always will. I hope whoever and wherever she is, she knows that."


	82. Chapter 82

**Chapter Eighty-Two**

Joey was sitting at her laptop in the office she and the other youth workers shared, catching up with some case notes. She'd finally succeeding in getting Abbey out of the centre and doing something, although she had no idea what the girl would be getting up to. She almost dreaded to think, although she told herself to trust her. Despite the attitude, Abbey was a good kid. Joey hoped that eventually, if she could get her talking to her parents again, she'd see that they loved her and she'd go back home, although Joey knew secretly she'd miss the girl. Sighing heavily, she looked into her coffee cup, unhappy that it was empty. She felt like she had had the longest week of her life. She'd seen her mother and said goodbye and was now waiting for the day to come when she'd be told by phone that she'd died. She'd faced her father, confronted him a little too violently and let out all her aggression for the way he'd treated her all her life. And now Ruby knew the truth about what had happened to Charlie and what the consequences of that had been. Home right now was tense to say the least. Joey had held Charlie in her arms all the previous night as she cried. All the issues they thought they'd already faced appeared to have come right back up to bite them and Joey and Charlie were both terribly but privately afraid that this had forced them about twenty paces back. Joey stood and stretched, heading towards the kitchen. This was going to be a long day.

***

Charlie sat at her desk hardly concentrating. The previous night had been a heavy one as she'd let the truth about her past pour out yet again, this time to Ruby. All she wanted was to let it rest. She didn't want to keep having to think about rapists and babies and adoptions. Of course a day didn't go by when she didn't think about Grace and wonder who she was growing up to be but she knew she couldn't let her life revolve around it. And she couldn't continue to let herself be controlled by the pain. Telling Ruby everything had opened up a wound that had just been healed and she hated it. Her little sister had been wonderful. She'd been caring and gentle, loving and supportive but Charlie knew she had questions that needed answering. Charlie also knew if she had to keep talking about it, she would begin to start undoing all the work she'd achieved. And she really didn't want to go back any stages with Joey. Things were so perfect between them, even after everything Joey had been through with her family lately. No, she had to work through this a different way.

***

Abbey had been wandering round town with nothing to occupy her time. Joey had convinced her that she needed to get out and do things but she didn't really know anybody in Summer Bay and it appeared that she hadn't really chosen the most exciting town in the world to run away to. Having sat on the beach for a bit and checked out a few of the hot surfers, she'd had a nose around the Diner and irritated an older woman behind the counter by not ordering anything and then headed into the Surf Club and started a game of pool by herself.

"Bit of a lonely game for one, isn't it?" said a male voice.

Abbey turned and saw a semi-attractive boy probably a few years older than she was, standing with his mates. She grinned.

"I guess," she said. "But I think I can handle it."

"Wouldn't you like some company?"

"Why? You offering?"

"Maybe."

"Do you think _you _can handle it?" Abbey asked.

The boy stepped forward and picked up a cue. Abbey nodded, giving him permission to play.

"I'm Trey," the boy said,

"Abbey."

***

Joey and Charlie met at the Diner. Still emotional from the previous evening, they kissed tenderly before they even sat down.

"How's your day going?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, it's been okay," Charlie said. "I've been closing up some old cases and stuff. Keeping busy."

"Are you okay after last night?" Joey wanted to know.

She figured there was no point in beating about the bush. Charlie nodded and held Joey's hand across the table. They gratefully accepted their drinks and lunches from Irene.

"I'm feeling a little calmer," Charlie said. "And I guess in a way it's good that Ruby knows. No more secrets. Nothing more to hide."

Joey nodded.

"And it doesn't mean..." Charlie began. "I mean, it doesn't... um... It brought stuff up but I'm not going to... I don't want... We're fine."

She smiled. Joey smiled back. She leant across the table and kissed her. Charlie smiled even more.

"I'm glad," she said. "But you know I would have coped if it had been different."

"I know. And you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you're the most perfect girlfriend in the whole world."

Joey beamed at her.

"You're just wanting more kisses, aren't you?" she teased.

Joey rewarded her with just that.

***

In the kitchen, Colleen was terribly flustered.

"Have you seen those two out there?" she asked Irene.

"Which two?"

"The lesbians!" Colleen almost shrieked.

Irene sighed, wondering when her friend was going to get over it. They seemed to have this conversation far too much.

"Charlie and Joey have names, you know," she said tiredly.

"Senior Constable Buckton should not be doing _that _with that Joey Collins girl,"

Colleen complained emphatically.

"They're in love, Colleen. Why can't you just leave them be?"

"They're very sweet together if you must know," Leah chimed in, defending her friends.

***

Having finished their pool game, Abbey, Trey and Trey's friends wondered what they could do next. Abbey had no school to go do and Trey had none he wanted to go to so they decided to spend the afternoon together. They'd bought some juices and were sitting on the sofas together, ignoring the glares of Alf Stewart who knew full well that Trey at least should be in class.

"So, what do you guys do for fun around here?" Abbey asked the boys.

"Cause trouble," Trey replied confidently.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" she asked sceptically.

"Whatever you can think of."

***

Joey left Charlie in the Diner to head back to work. Charlie finished up paying for their lunch, ready to head back to the station herself. She was looking forward to getting home at the end of the day and relaxing in a nice hot bubble bath, preferably with Joey. Yes, she could definitely get through the afternoon with that image in mind. She headed out of the Diner and stopped abruptly when she saw some kids attacking her patrol car. Immediately switching from sappy girlfriend into strict cop, Charlie raced forward. All the teenagers scattered. There were too many for her to feasibly catch. She'd known it from the start but right at the last minute, she grabbed the sleeve of one of the group. Whirling the kid around, she came face to face with a girl with light brown hair and tanned skin. Her blue eyes pierced Charlie's but more with fright than anger. The girl grinned.

"Do you think this is funny?" Charlie yelled, keeping hold of the girl and gesturing to her car, which now had a smashed windscreen, broken wing mirrors and dented door.

The girl shrugged and immediately became sullen.

"I don't give a shit," she said.

"You just vandalised a police car," Charlie said. "You're going to give more than a shit pretty soon. I want your parents' phone number."

"Don't have any parents," Abbey said almost proudly.

"Then I need to speak to your guardian."

"Don't have one. And you can't do nothing to me."

"I can arrest you," Charlie said.

"I'm fourteen!"

"Do I look I care?"

Charlie swiftly spun the girl round against the broken car and handcuffed her. Pulling out her mobile, she called Angelo, needing another car if nothing else. She ignored the girl's protests and whining.

***

Half an hour later, Abbey was in a foul mood as she sat in an interview room with the witch who had arrested her without ceremony. Obviously the woman couldn't take a joke. Her colleague was pretty hot though. He had a handsome face, a nice haircut and a cheeky smile. She would have liked the uniform if the woman who had arrested her wasn't giving police officers such a bad name.

"So, are you going to give us someone to call?" Senior Constable Buckton asked her yet again in a very tired voice.

Abbey chewed her lip, considering her options. It didn't look like this bitch was going to let her go unless she did. And it seemed as if she was in charge rather than the cute cop, Angel or Angelo or something like that. It was just that she didn't want Joey knowing what had happened. She didn't want to disappoint her. Finally she sighed and gave in, clasping her hands together on the table. Looking the woman directly in the eye.

"Fine," she said. "I live at the youth centre. If you have to be a pain in the arse and call someone, you can call Joey Collins. She looks after me."

She was surprised by the very slight, almost concealed reaction to Joey's name. Still, she supposed this was a small town. Most people knew each other.

"Thank you. Do I get your name at last?" the cop asked.

"Don't ask for too much in one go," Abbey snapped.

Glaring, Charlie turned and headed back out to reception to call Joey.

***

Joey was sitting down with Billy, just finishing a meeting with him to see how he was progressing in his new home now that he had left Miles's house when there was a knock at the door. One of her colleagues made a 'phone' gesture. Joey quickly finished up with Billy and hurried to the little office.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Joey, it's me."

"Charlie!" Joey said surprised.

Charlie never called her at work.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've got one of your kids here," Charlie explained.

Joey furrowed her brow in confusion and then twigged.

"Light brown hair, blue eyes, lots of attitude?"

"Well done!" Charlie said.

"Abigail Matthews," Joey concluded, cursing herself for sending her exploring. "What did she do?"

"Trashed my car!" Charlie exclaimed, as if she'd taken it as a personal insult.

Joey groaned.

"I need you to come down here before I can even interview her because she's underage," Charlie said.

"I'll be right there," Joey said, sighing heavily. "Sorry about this, Charlie."

***

It was turning into a long afternoon. Joey had sat in on an interview with Abbey, Charlie and Angelo. After breaking through the attitude problem, Abbey had finally explained to the police officers that she'd met up with some boys and they'd all agreed that it would be funny to trash the car. She'd insisted it had just been a joke and she hadn't meant any harm. And she'd blatantly lied by saying that she didn't know who the boys were. Charlie had told her that she was fully within her rights to charge for criminal damage. Abbey had started arguing. Joey had snapped at her to be quiet. Then Joey and Charlie had disappeared outside with Angelo.

"Please don't charge her," Joey begged, fluttering her eyelashes for good measure.

"She smashed my car up!" Charlie protested. "For no good reason. It was just sitting there minding its own business and she came along and kicked the shit out of it! And then gave me nothing but hassle all afternoon."

"Charlie, she's not a bad kid," Joey said. "She's just got a messed up head right now. I'm working so hard with her, trying to reunite her with her parents and get her back to her normal life. Please just tell her off and let her go."

Charlie frowned, looking from Joey to Angelo who just shrugged.

"Fine," she sighed. "But I'm the one who gets to do the telling off."

"Absolutely!" Angelo said, holding his hands up and heading towards a mountain of paperwork.

"I'll add to your telling off when we get back to the centre," Joey promised.

She squeezed Charlie's bottom just before they entered the interview room.

"Behave!" Charlie hissed.

***

Abbey was sullen when she and Joey got back to the youth centre. The cop had given her a royal telling off and Joey hadn't even supported her.

"I can't believe that fucking bitch," she said, hurling herself into her bunk.

"Hey!" Joey snapped, standing in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips. "Don't you dare say that, Abbey! Don't you dare call her that!"  
"What's it to you?"

"Senior Constable Buckton is a good woman and she was just doing her job. She did a nice thing by just cautioning you today. You trashed her car for goodness sake!"

"It was just a joke!"

"It wasn't funny!"

"Oh, get over it, Joey!"

"Abbey, I am trying to do my best for you and you're not making this any easier. I thought we were making progress and then you do something like this."

"That'll teach you to send me out on my own, won't it?"

"Yeah, it'll teach me to trust you. I won't be making that mistake again."

Joey turned to leave. Abbey burst into tears, surprising both of them. Joey turned back a little nervously.

"Don't hate me," Abbey said meekly.

"I don't hate you," Joey said a little more gently.

"I didn't mean to make you mad."

Joey sighed and pulled up a chair to sit beside the bed.

"I just want the best for you, Abbey. You can't go round doing stuff like that. You were really lucky just to get a caution. I really had to beg for that."

"I'm sorry."

"Alright. Let's just draw a line under it now," Joey suggested.

Abbey reached out to hug Joey, clinging tightly.

"I didn't mean to let you down," Abbey said pulling back. "I never want to let you down. You're the only person who's real with me. You're the only person I trust."

***

That night, Charlie got home before Joey. She couldn't even wait for her before she flung herself into the bath. When Joey arrived back, she called her girlfriend's name.

"I'm in here!" Charlie hollered. "The door's unlocked!"

Joey knocked out of politeness and then entered the steamy bathroom. She found Charlie nestled beneath a mass of bubbles. Kissing her, she pulled over a little stool and sat beside her, reaching into the hot water to hold her hand.

"Thank you so much for being lenient today," she said.

"Don't think she can make a habit of that kind of thing," Charlie warned, closing her eyes and leaning back.

"She won't," Joey assured her. "We had a long chat after we got back to the centre. I think she actually she feels pretty bad about the whole thing."

Charlie looked sceptical but remained silent. She grinned when Joey dropped her hand and stroked her tummy and her breasts underneath the water.

"Why are you so attached to that girl?" she wondered aloud.

Joey paused her motion and captured Charlie's hand again.

"I don't know," she said. "There's just something about her. I guess I'd feel attached to any runaway. I mean, I care for everyone there."

"But Abbey's the only one you talk about."

"There's something special in her, Charlie. I don't know how to explain it. It's just there. She's attached to me; I'm attached to her in my own way."

"What's her story?" Charlie asked.

She pulled a face and shook her head.

"Oh, right, confidentiality," she remembered.

"She found out she was adopted," Joey said, knowing she was breaking the rules but deciding to take the risk.

She wanted Charlie to understand where Abbey was coming from. And if she was going to at all, this story would do it. Charlie's eyes snapped open.

"She feels like her parents, her adopted parents have been lying to her so she ran away," Joey said sadly. "I'm trying to get her to understand that they were only doing what they thought was right. She's just feeling mixed up and confused. She's acting out and doesn't know where to turn. She doesn't have any stability."

"Except for you."

"Except for me, I guess," Joey said a little uncertainly. "She told me I'm the only person she trusts."

"Then I'm glad you're doing right by her," Charlie said. "I'm glad you're attached and that you care so much. She obviously needs that."

Joey smiled. She leant across the bath and kissed Charlie's lips.

"Care to join me in here?" Charlie offered.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Joey grinned, standing and beginning to strip off extremely quickly.


	83. Chapter 83

**Chapter Eighty-Three**

Abbey glared at herself in the mirror, standing her new school uniform. It had been a long three weeks of arguing but finally Joey had worn her down and she'd not only agreed to start school in Summer Bay but she'd even called her parents a couple of times and it felt like they were making some progress. She'd told them vaguely where she was and that she was safely living in a youth centre and had a lovely support worker who was helping her and taking care of her. They had reluctantly agreed not to come and find her but begged for the chance to see her again and she was considering it. School, however, would be the first hurdle.

***

"You'll be nice to her, right?" Joey asked over breakfast.

"Yes!" Ruby said, rolling her eyes.

Charlie smiled at how protective and fussy Joey was being over Abbey. With the girls at the same school, Joey had begged Ruby to seek her out and make friends so that she wasn't lonely on her first day.

"She can be a bit feisty but she's nice," Joey said, appearing to have ignored Ruby's promise.

"Joey..." Ruby pleaded. "We've had this conversation about seventy million times. I'll find her. I'll be nice. She'll feel welcome. I swear."

"Ruby can handle feisty," Charlie confirmed. "She can relate."

"Hey!" Ruby protested, standing up. "I'm a good girl."

All three looked at the teenager's ever swelling belly.

"Shut up!" Ruby pouted.

***

Both Charlie and Joey had booked the afternoon off work to go house hunting and three buildings later, they were tired and disheartened. None of the properties seemed quite right. Smiling pleasantly, they met the young, suited estate agent outside the house that was happily located between their current house and the beach. Holding hands, the women followed him inside. They were immediately met with a large, spacious living room with big windows. The young man turned round, blushed at their clasped hands and nervously began his spiel.

***

Abbey was in a bad mood. It was lunch time and so far she'd struggled to keep up with her lessons and various students had found out about the fact that she was living at the youth centre and had proceeded to tease her about it. Frowning into her locker and wanting very much to run away to goodness knows where, she wondered what she should do now.

"Hey, there's the homeless girl!" came an unkind voice.

Abbey turned and sighed when she was met with four ridiculously beautiful girls who all seemed to have it in for her.

"Just leave me alone," Abbey pleaded.

It was only the look of disappointment on Joey's face, etched in her memory from the incident with the policewoman that kept her from fighting her way out of the situation.

"Yeah, why don't you just leave her alone?" came another voice behind them.

The girls turned and Abbey spotted a small group of three girls and three boys. She eyed them curiously, wondering why they wanted to get involved with her mess.

"Are you going to make me?" the leader of the bullies challenged.

"Well, there's six of us and four of you so I like the odds," the girl with wild but very pretty hair said.

"Isn't there seven of you?" one of the other girls mocked. "Heard you got yourself knocked up."

"Just get out of here!" said a skinny, blonde boy, stepping up and looking protective of the girl who had originally spoken.

Shrugging and obviously decided Abbey wasn't worth the hassle, the group of four left. The leader of the other gang approached with a big smile. Seeing her more fully, Abbey noted that she was more than likely pregnant. She swallowed, thinking of her own mother, whoever she was, being roughly the same age when she gave her away. That was all Abbey knew about the woman who had given her life – that she'd been a teenager.

"Hi," the girl said. "My name's Ruby."

She extended her hand. Abbey anxiously shook it and glanced round at the others. There was the skinny blonde boy, a very muscular blonde, a dark haired guy, a far too pretty blonde and a shy looking brunette.

"Abbey," she said, still a little stunned.

"Joey's my sister in law," Ruby explained.

Relief flooded Abbey's spirit.

"Sort of. Nearly. She mentioned you were starting here today."

"Right," Abbey said, not sure whether to thank Joey or shout at her for interfering.

"This is my boyfriend Xavier," Ruby introduced. "And that's Geoff and Nicole and Annie and Jai."

She pointed to each student in turn. They all said hello and she waved back shyly.

"We're going to have lunch at the Diner," Geoff said. "Would you like to join us?"

Abbey smiled, probably revealing too much elation.

"That'd be great," she said. "Thanks."

***

"I loved that house!" Joey declared on the drive home.

It had indeed been perfect. There was a large lounge, a nicely sized kitchen, two bathrooms and four bedrooms.

"Can we afford it?"

"It's just out of our price range," Charlie said with a frown. "But we could make an offer and see if they take it."

"I still can't believe I'm going to own half a house," Joey grinned. "Me!"

"And with a girlfriend," Charlie added. "That's commitment _and _domesticity."

Joey chuckled.

"I wonder how things went at school," Joey mused, looking out the window.

"She'll be fine," Charlie assured her.

Joey had been fretful all day about how Abbey would cope on her first day.

"I'm sure Ruby took good care of her," Charlie said.

"Could we um...?"

Charlie flicked her indicator on and turned left in the direction of the youth centre. Joey smiled gratefully, leaning across the seat and kissing her girlfriend's cheek.

***

Abbey arrived back to her little room much happier than she had left it, although she privately admitted that she felt sad not to come home to anyone to share her day with. After lunch, things had picked up. Ruby and her friends were all lovely and had made her feel so welcome. She felt included and she'd also learnt a little more about Joey, who was engaged to Ruby's older sister, Charlie. It had surprised her a little, she supposed, that Joey was gay but it definitely made no difference. She loved her all the same. And she'd firmly decided she needed to thank her for interfering. Even though Abbey was aware that Ruby had befriended her because Joey asked her to, it felt like she'd made friends with them herself too. She was sure Ruby and the others wouldn't hang out with her if they didn't really like her. She turned when she heard a soft knock on the door. Opening up, she smiled when she saw Joey standing there.

"Hi!"

"Hi! How did it go?"

"It was awesome. Well, after the bullying stopped."

Joey's face fell and Abbey gestured for her to sit in the little chair she and her roommate had been provided with.

"Bullying?"

"Oh just some girls. And then Ruby and her friends stood up for me and invited me to lunch."

Joey grinned.

"Thanks for interfering, by the way."

"Hope you don't mind," Joey said awkwardly. "I just wanted you to have a friend. And Ruby's lovely."

"She is. So, you're a lesbian, hey?" Abbey teased.

Joey blanched and then smirked.

"I'm engaged to Ruby's sister," she explained.

"Cool. Is she pretty?"

"She's beautiful."

"How long have you been together?"

"Almost a year."

Abbey nodded.

"Cool," she said again.

"You've already met her, actually."

Abbey looked confused.

"The cop?" she suddenly burst out.

"The very one," Joey confirmed.

"No wonder she let me off!" Abbey grinned.

"She's outside if you want to come and say hi," Joey suggested. "Maybe apologise for trashing her car?"

Abbey pursed her lips, considering her options.

"Okay," she finally agreed.

***

Charlie looked up when she saw the door of Joey's workplace open. Joey exited, followed by Abbey, the girl she'd arrested for criminal damage and then let go. She climbed out of the car and smiled.

"Charlie, can I introduce you properly to Abbey?" Joey said cheerfully.

"Hi, Abbey, Charlie greeted pleasantly.

"Hi," the girl replied quietly.

She shifted her eyes between the women.

"Sorry for what happened the other week."

Charlie smiled and leaned to sit back on the bonnet of her car.

"It's okay," she said. "It's in the past now. We all make mistakes."

Abbey brightened.

"Abbey and Ruby made friends," Joey said.

"Oh, that's great!"Charlie enthused.

"Ruby said you were her sister," Abbey explained. "And Joey's girlfriend. So I hoped we could make friends."

Charlie smiled at her. Joey was right; there was definitely something endearing about the girl. She looked to be around fourteen or fifteen and had light brown hair. When she looked at her, she gazed with big, blue eyes. Shoving her hands in her pockets, Abbey studied Charlie, trying to figure out if she was being honest or not. Charlie had been pretty angry a couple of weeks ago. She was surprised all was forgiven now. Maybe Joey had put a good word in for her.

"Of course we can," she said.

Charlie was very slender and she looked nice in her black shorts grey t-shirt. She definitely looked a lot less scary out of uniform. And today, her long, brown hair was hanging loose and bouncy around her shoulders. She was tanned, toned and smiling and she had a very pretty face. Her smile met her eyes in a very convincing way and Abbey decided that if Joey loved her, she was probably genuine.

"Great," she said. "Thanks."

"No worries," Charlie said.

"Well, we're heading home now. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll see you after school!" Abbey grinned. "Bye, Joey."

She turned and then turned back.

"Bye Charlie," she added.

The two women waved and climbed back into the car.

"I told you she was sweet," Joey said.

"You were right," Charlie agreed, starting the engine.

***

Two weeks later, Charlie and Joey were enjoying a Saturday morning off work together. With her feet resting in Joey's lap, Charlie was stretched out on the sofa as they enjoyed some mindless television. It had been a busy fortnight as they put their offer in on the house, having showed Ruby around it the day after they'd viewed it. It had been accepted and the women were now fighting their way through paperwork and legal terminology in order to purchase their very first house together. They had also found a venue for the wedding. The woman who ran the community centre and rented out halls for various occasions had readily welcomed them and they had at last been able to confirm the date with the pastor. While there were still a million things to do, they had decided that this weekend was for resting. They looked up when they heard chattering voices coming through from the kitchen. Before long, Ruby, Nicole, Annie and finally Abbey had appeared in the lounge.

"Hi guys," Charlie greeted.

Joey waved at all of them, smiling particularly at Abbey. Her friendship with Ruby had grown rapidly and Joey was very pleased to see it. This was the first time that she had ever come to the house.

"Hey," Ruby said.

She sat down quickly in a chair. The foursome had been shopping and while it had been a lot of fun, the fact that Ruby was nearly five months pregnant made getting around harder than usual. One thing she was glad of was that she and Annie had sorted things out. While Charlie and Joey had been away visiting Joey's family, the girls had got together to talk. Annie had apologised and pledged her friendship and support to her friend, which Ruby had accepted gracefully.

"Have you had a good day?" Joey asked.

"We shopped," Nicole informed her. "Every day that involves shopping is a good one!"

She pulled up a chair beside Ruby. Annie sat down too. Abbey hovered.

"You can sit," Joey said gently.

Blushing and feeling unnaturally shy, Abbey did as she was told so that the four teenagers were seated round the table. It felt strange to be in Joey's house and see her relaxed with her girlfriend.

"We were going to make some lunch," Charlie said. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Charlie, I'm always hungry," Ruby replied unhappily.

It felt like all she did these days was eat and she was certain she was the size of a house. Shedding baby weight when the little guy was born was going to be damn near impossible. Charlie smiled affectionately at her sister as she stood up and headed into the kitchen. Joey followed, ruffling Ruby's hair.

"We still love you," she said. "We're broke trying to feed you but we still love you!"

Ruby stuck her tongue out.

"You're broke because you bought a house!" she argued.

"Which you're not allowed to eat. Okay?" Joey teased.

Ruby pulled a disgusted face as her friends giggled.

***

Charlie arrived home to find Abbey sitting in the living room. The girl looked a little startled as she turned to see Charlie. Charlie dumped her bag and keys on the table.

"Ruby's in the bathroom," Abbey said. "For the millionth time."

"Is she okay?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"She said something about the baby squashing her bladder," Abbey said.

Charlie shook her head in amusement and came to sit in the opposite chair.

"You must be proud of her for being so brave," Abbey ventured. "You know, to have the baby so young."

"Yeah, I'm really proud of her," Charlie said sincerely. "She's certainly brave."

"I guess Joey told you that my Mum gave me away," Abbey said bluntly. "She was a pregnant teenager too."

Charlie nodded. She pictured herself at twelve, carrying her baby, Grace and struggling through life. To say she was proud of Ruby was an understatement. Her little sister was glowing with her condition and taking it all with humour and as much delicacy as possible. Of course it was a different circumstance and Charlie had been even younger but she hadn't coped well at all.

"It did get mentioned," she said awkwardly.

It felt strange to talk to a girl who had been adopted, having been on the other side of the coin.

"I wish she could have loved me the way Ruby loves her baby."

"I'm sure she did," Charlie said.

"But she didn't keep me."

"Maybe she couldn't keep you. Maybe she did what she thought was best."

"You sound like Joey," Abbey pointed out.

Charlie laughed softly. She could imagine Joey saying the same things, having listened to Charlie pour her heart out and having an overwhelming need to make Abbey feel better all the time.

"Do you think you'll ever try and find your mother?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know," Abbey shrugged. "Part of me hates her and part of me loves her. I don't know how I'd find her or how it would be if we met."

Charlie nodded. She'd looked forward and felt fearful of the day that Grace might get in touch. She'd been tempted to try and find her several times but always held back. Her little girl would only be fourteen now and she didn't want to disrupt her life. Still she couldn't help wondering where and how she was.

"Do you... I mean, I know you've fallen out with them right now, but do you normally get on with your adoptive parents?" Charlie asked, suddenly desiring to hear about adoption from the other side. "Did they treat you well?"

"Aside from lying and telling me I was biologically theirs, yeah. At least my birth mother did one good thing for me and gave me to good parents. We're trying to work things out at the moment, start talking properly again. Joey's helping."

Charlie smiled. She thought it was sweet how attached Abbey was to Joey, how much she seemed to look up to and admire her, trust and respect her.

"She thinks a lot of you, you know," Charlie said.

"I think a lot of her. She's the first adult I've trusted in a while."

Charlie smiled. They looked round when Ruby re-entered the room.

"Do I really have four more months of this?" she complained.

"I'm afraid it only gets worse, sweetheart," Charlie replied.

The sisters exchanged a sad smile. They had talked at length about Charlie's past since Ruby had found out. Ruby had been a baby herself when it had all happened and didn't remember it at all. But they'd talked it through and Ruby understood why Charlie had made the decision she had. Charlie had also been able to completely reassure Ruby that at no point was she disappointed in her for getting pregnant before her sixteenth birthday. Ruby groaned and sat down on the couch beside Abbey.

"And I hear that labour stuff isn't too nice either," Abbey teased.

Ruby blanched and shuddered. She and Charlie had been talking about ante-natal classes recently and just thinking about having to actually deliver the child in five months time made her feel ill.

"Let's not even go there!" she said.

"Are you staying for dinner, Abbey?" Charlie asked, changing the subject.

Abbey looked as startled as she always did whenever someone offered her something from the kindness of her heart. Charlie smiled at her. She didn't like to think of Abbey at the youth centre all the time. As much as she knew she was being looked after, she and Joey had privately agreed that they would have her round as much as she and Ruby wanted. The girls got along really well and seemed to want to spend a lot of time together. And while Ruby and Annie had now made up, Ruby appreciated the fact that not only did Abbey not judge her situation but was actually really interested in her pregnancy and the baby. Joey had even found them reading the baby book together.

"I'd love to," Abbey said. "If that's okay."

She was constantly overwhelmed at having stumbled upon such a nice family. Joey was her hero and always would be and Ruby had fast become her best friend. And even though they hadn't originally met in good circumstances, Charlie seemed willing to forget the vandalism and attitude had ever taken place. She liked them. They made her feel comfortable and cared about. It was nice. And it was wearing her down when it came to talking to her parents again. They were nice too and it was entirely possible that they had really been trying to do their best for her.

"No problem," Charlie said. "I think I'm going to jump in the shower. It's been a long day."

"Don't be too long," Ruby said. "I might need to pee again soon."

***

Joey arrived home to Ruby and Abbey buried in baby books and catalogues, cooing over outfits and toys.

"Having fun?" she asked, peering over their heads.

"Look how cute!" Ruby gushed, holding the catalogue up and pointing at a baby grow.

Joey wasn't quite sure if her future sister-in-law was fussing over the outfit or the baby wearing it. She decided that both were cute.

"Is Charlie home yet?" she asked.

"Shower," the girls said in unison.

Joey grinned and headed back through the house in the direction of the bathroom. Abbey raised an eyebrow.

"You'll get used them," Ruby said dismissively, pointing to another outfit.

***

Joey knocked on the bathroom door.

"Ruby, I'll only be a few minutes! Hold your bladder!" came Charlie's voice from the other side of the door.

"It's me," Joey said.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Charlie peeked out, grinning and welcoming her inside. Joey wrapped her arms around Charlie's wet, naked body and kissed her passionately. She nudged Charlie back towards the shower.

"How was your day?" Charlie asked, stepping gratefully under the water.

"Exhausting," Joey said. "I need to freshen up with a shower."

Charlie grinned and watched Joey remove her clothes faster than ought to be humanly possible.

"I'm feeling ever so dirty," Joey murmured as she stepped under the water, wrapping her arms around Charlie again.

***

"Hey, guys, do you know that it's Abbey's birthday next week?" Ruby asked over breakfast the next morning.

Charlie paused mid-bite of toast.

"I was thinking that we could throw her a party," Ruby continued. "You know, because she doesn't have family or anything here."

"Sounds like a great idea to me," Joey said. "Charlie?"

Charlie was lost in her own thoughts.

"Charlie?" Joey said again, waving her own slice of toast in front of her fiancée's face.

Charlie snapped to attention.

"Oh! Yeah, that sounds fine to me," she said. "When?"

"Well, I thought we could have the party on Friday night. Just a few nibbles and drinks. Xavier and everyone could come, you two, Leah, VJ, Miles and Kirsty. Does that sound okay?"

"It sounds like a lovely idea," Joey said. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

Charlie got lost again, desperate to find out the exact date of Abbey's birth. But she didn't want to make a big deal out of it so she stayed quiet while Ruby and Joey launched into plans for the party.


	84. Chapter 84

**Chapter Eighty-Four**

Ruby was nervous as she lay in the hospital bed. Xavier and Charlie sat on either side of her as the nurse scanned her tummy. Today was the day she would find out if she was right or wrong about the gender of her baby and more importantly, if he or she was healthy and happy. She watched Xavier break out into a smile as everyone in the room listened to the baby's heartbeat.

"Everything looks to be perfect," the nurse said.

Xavier clutched Ruby's hand. He couldn't believe that he had been so unsupportive in the beginning. Now he felt like a fool. Any child that he and Ruby had created together could only be a good thing. So what if they were young? They could cope. Charlie watched affectionately as the couple studied the screen, looking at their child. She was happy for them, thinking it must be such an exciting experience when you'd conceived your child in a loving way and you had a lifetime with it to look forward to.

"Can we...? Is it possible to tell us the gender?" Ruby asked.

"Yes," the nurse said. "It looks like you're having a boy."

***

Friday rolled around and Abbey arrived at Charlie and Joey's house with her support worker, who had invited her round for dinner with the family. With her birthday approaching in a couple of days and no family around her, Abbey had happily accepted. Following Joey through the kitchen she now knew well, she nearly jumped out of her skin when a loud chorus of people yelled 'surprise'. Recovering, she located Ruby in the middle of the room looking rather pleased with herself. She reached out to hug her friend. Abbey looked stunned and elated as she gazed round at everyone. Her friends from school were there and so was Charlie, Leah, VJ and Miles.

"You guys did this for me?" she asked.

"We thought it'd be nice if we all celebrated," Ruby said.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

She turned and held onto Joey before turning her attention to Charlie. Awkwardly, she hugged her as well.

"Thank you," she said.

"Happy birthday," Charlie said.

***

Charlie stood back, observing the party. Joey, VJ, Miles, Abbey and Jai had all started a Scalextric tournament. Geoff and Annie were watching intently, laughing with the rest of them. Ruby and Xavier had sloped off into a corner to make out and Leah had disappeared into the kitchen.

"I win!" Joey bellowed.

She stood and stretched, handing the controller to Miles who was next in line.

"And I retire victorious," she added, stepped over the huddle of players and towards Charlie.

She slipped her arm around her girlfriend's waist.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Charlie said.

In truth, her attention was distracted. Celebrating Abbey's birthday in the same week as it would have been Grace's fifteenth was unnerving. The coincidence freaked her out but more than that, it made her sad to know what she was missing. She knew she wanted to find her daughter but she felt too strongly that it was the wrong thing to do. She didn't even know if she could. She had no idea about adoptions, having been too young to really understand what was going on.

"Are you sure? You've been quiet all week," Joey nudged.

"Just... just a few things going on in my head, that's all," Charlie said vaguely.

Joey crept in closer.

"Do you want to let me in on any of them?" she asked.

Charlie smiled and kissed Joey's cheek.

"It's nothing to worry about," she promised.

Joey sighed, unsatisfied but decided not to press the issue, at least for now.

***

After the party disbanded, Miles drove Abbey home. Tired, Ruby said a lingering goodbye to Xavier and headed to bed. She was pleased that the evening had gone so well and that Abbey had been pleased with the gesture. Having finished the clean-up with Leah, Charlie and Joey also headed to their room.

"So, are you going to tell me now what's up?" Joey asked.

Charlie looked a little startled.

"There's nothing wrong," she lied.

"Charlie..." Joey said.

"Okay. I guess I've been a little distracted."

"Understatement!" Joey teased, stepping forward and encircling Charlie's waist.

She kissed her lips gently.

"What's on your mind?"

"It's just... It would be Grace's birthday on Sunday. Celebrating with Abbey kind of reminded me of what I was missing out on," Charlie said sadly.

Joey was overwhelmed with compassion and hugged her tighter.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I had no idea."

Charlie shrugged.

"It's okay," she said. "It just got me thinking, that's all. It's times like these that I regret giving her up. But obviously I'm fifteen years too late now."

***

By midnight, Charlie and Joey were curled up and finally ready to sleep. Their love making had been slow and sensual, comforting and gentle. Charlie ran her hand through Joey's hair.

"Hey, Joey, it's _your_ birthday in a few of weeks," Charlie remembered.

"Yeah," Joey said, more interested in kissing Charlie's neck than talking about turning twenty-five.

"What would you like to do to celebrate?" Charlie asked.

Joey let her tongue play with Charlie's skin, making her moan. She slipped her hand down to Charlie's breast, teasing her. Charlie moaned again.

"So, what would you like to do?" she asked.

"This!" Joey said, shifting to replace her fingers with her mouth.

"Are you... um..."

Joey caused her to elicit another moan.

"Are you avoiding the question?" she finally managed to ask.

Joey freed her mouth and looked up at Charlie.

"I don't want to celebrate my birthday," she said seriously. "Let's just treat it like any other day."

Charlie looked disappointed.

"But you were so lovely on my birthday," she said.

Back in March when Charlie turned twenty-seven, Joey had taken her for dinner and to the theatre.

"I liked your birthday. I don't like mine."

"But Joey..."

"I'm not a birthday kind of girl. You know how many bad memories I have... I'd rather just ignore it."

Charlie sighed but accepted it, at least temporarily. Joey resumed her attention. It was going to be a late night.

***

Charlie woke up completely unable to move. Joey was wrapped very tightly around her. Shifting a little, she attempted to disentangle herself but Joey clung on tighter.

"You're going nowhere," she growled.

Charlie laughed.

"You're not horny already, are you?" she teased.

"Not horny. Too exhausted for horny. I just have an overwhelming need to snuggle."

She squeezed tight and kissed the part of Charlie's chest that she was snuggled into.

"You just be gentle with me," Charlie warned.

Memories from the night before flashed into Joey's brain, making her smile. She lifted her head a little and evidence of just how carried away she'd got were openly displayed on Charlie's breasts in the form of several love bites.

"Oops," she said. "I'll kiss them better."

Charlie chuckled as Joey did exactly that.

"Mmm... maybe I am horny already," Joey commented, becoming suddenly very awake.


	85. Chapter 85

**Chapter Eighty-Five**

"What's with the atmosphere?" Ruby asked, entering the kitchen on Monday morning.

Charlie and Joey were seated at the kitchen table unhappily staring at a piece of paper. Charlie looked up at her.

"We've got a court date for Skip's trial," she said.

Reading the letter had brought a rush of memories back. Charlie had almost convinced herself that all that hadn't really happened to her, that it was someone else's life. Closing her eyes now, she pictured herself sitting, beaten almost to death, handcuffed to a post. Her body physically ached in the places that had been most injured. It had taken such a long and frustrating time to heal. She hated thinking about all those months, hardly able to move, hobbling around in her cast while Joey and Ruby did everything they could to take care of her. There had been so many sorrowful nights where she cried herself to sleep or had nightmares. Now, in three months time, she would have to stand up in court and go through it all again, moment by agonising moment.

"Oh, Charlie," Ruby said compassionately.

She sank down a little too heavily at the kitchen table and held her big sister's hand. The only thing Ruby had ever experienced that matched the amount of distress she had suffered when Charlie had almost been murdered, was when their mother died.

"When?"

"September 7th," Joey said.

Both women had been called to testify and neither wanted to do it. Of every traumatic event in her life, almost losing Charlie like that was the single worst moment Joey had been through. The abuse from her father, the assault by Brett, even the sexual assault she'd been through when she'd been the rich woman's bitch, paled in comparison to the moment Skip had shown her Charlie broken, dying body.

"Everything will be fine. You know that, right?" Ruby said.

"Of course we will," Joey said, forcing a smile.

She squeezed Charlie's hand.

"Everything's working out now," Ruby said. "You two are together, Joey has her new job, we're extending our family. Everything's great. And it's going to stay that way. Trust me."

Charlie and Joey both smiled, genuinely engaged in what Ruby had apparently decided.

***

"You're really doing this?" Joey asked, double checking to make sure.

She and Abbey were having their weekly one-to-one session and finally, after many weeks of trying, Abbey had agreed to let her parents come and visit in order to try and reconcile them.

"Yes," Abbey said. "We've been getting on pretty well on the phone and I missed them on my birthday. And the fun we all had at my party... well, it made me long for family, I guess. I wanted my adoptive parents to be there."

She still wasn't ready to just call them her parents again. Being adopted was too real and too much at the forefront of her mind for her to let it go. But she did want to talk to them and try and rebuild a relationship somehow.

***

Ross opened the door, surprised to find Charlie standing in front of him. He smiled at her. Things had been better between them since dinner where he'd apologised, even though it had led to Ruby finding out the truth. But her father had been supportive and kind throughout. And he'd agreed to come to the wedding, which felt like massive progress.

"This is a nice surprise," Ross said, leading her through to the kitchen.

They sat down to the kitchen together. Ross put an obviously recently brewed pot of coffee in front of them and poured it into two mugs.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I um... I had some questions. About Grace."

Ross's face fell.

"Charlie..."

"Please?" Charlie begged. "I need to know about her."

"Sweetheart, I don't know anything."

"Who adopted her?"

"A couple in their twenties," Ross said gently. "I can't remember their first names but their surname was something like Mitchell or Masters or something like that. Something similar to that anyway."

Charlie nodded, looking into his eyes and hoping he would continue.

"They were both teachers. He taught high school and she taught small children, younger ones. They were infertile and IVF hadn't worked, which is why they turned to adoption. Do you remember meeting them?"

Charlie had a vague recollection but she'd blocked most of that time of her life out, or faded the memory so it wasn't so clear. She nodded slowly.

"They were desperate for a new born, remember? It was arranged before you gave birth."

"I remember holding her before you took her away to them," Charlie said wistfully.

Ross looked at his daughter sadly, wondering yet again if he had done wrong by her by convincing her to give her child up. It had seemed like the best thing at the time. She was so fragile after what had happened to her and she hadn't coped well with the pregnancy. There was no way she would have handled motherhood. She was just a child herself.

"She was beautiful, wasn't she?"

"Yes. Yes, she was."

"I remember her holding onto my finger and she had such crystal blue eyes. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. I loved her. I wish... I wish there was a way to tell her that. I can't stop thinking about her, wondering who and where she is. I just want her to know that I gave her up so that she could be taken care of."

"You left a note," Ross reminded her.

"Do you think she's read it? That she'll ever read it?" Charlie asked.

"I'm sure when the time's right, her parents will give it to her. But she'd only be fifteen now. She'd be too young to understand things yet."

"Do you think she'd ever try and find me?"

"Do you want her to?"

"Yes."

"Then let's hope she does."

***

Abbey, Ruby, Xavier, Annie, Jai, Geoff and Nicole had decided to spend the evening in the Surf Club. The boys and Annie were playing doubles at a game of pool and Ruby, Abbey and Nicole had seated themselves on the couch nearby.

"Are you excited about the baby coming?" Nicole asked.

"I can't wait," Ruby admitted. "And not just because I hate being a big, fat lump. I'm just really excited about him arriving all cute with ten little fingers and ten little toes. I want to see his baby nose and his eyes. I want to meet him so badly."

"Have you thought of names yet?"

"I haven't got a clue!" Ruby admitted. "Are you okay, Abs? You've been pretty quiet all evening."

"Joey's arranged for me to see my adoptive parents this week," she admitted. "They were so excited that they're charging down here in the morning to see me. Joey got me the day off school."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Nicole probed. "Wouldn't you like to see them again?"

"I guess. I mean, yes, I do but... I think my head's still spinning from everything."

"Everything?" Ruby asked.

"I left them because I felt they'd lied to me and I didn't think I knew who I was anymore. And the more I think about it, the more present my birth mother is in my mind. I just can't help wondering who she is, why she didn't want me, if she ever loved me. Stuff like that, you know?"

"I think I'm halfway there," Nicole said. "I knew who my mother was but I had no idea about my Dad. He's been a stranger to me all my life. Until now. Sometimes he still feels like a stranger!"

She smiled to show that she was joking at least in part.

"Do you think you want to track your Mum down then?" Ruby asked.

"I think so. But I don't want to hurt my adoptive parents either. It's difficult. And I don't know whether I'd hug her or hurt her if we actually met," Abbey admitted.

***

When Ruby got home that night, she was glad to see that Charlie and Joey were still awake. She greeted them with a big smile.

"Charlie..." she ventured.

"What do you want and how much is it going to cost me?" Charlie asked.

She was resting her feet on Joey's lap. Joey was providing a massage. It was an activity that was close to their hearts, as it had been the thing that prompted them to get together the third time around. Both thought back extremely fondly of the day Charlie had come round to help Joey paint her new flat. They'd ended up in a paint war. Joey had provided a foot massage and somehow or other, they'd made love on the sofa.

"Nothing. I was just wondering if you would talk to Abbey."

"I talk to her all the time."

She wiggled her foot, nudging Joey who had stopped massaging in order pay attention to Ruby. Joey resumed her work.

"Would you be willing to talk to her about adoption?"

Charlie tensed. She yanked her foot away from Joey and sat up looking horrified.

"What? No!" she snapped.

Ruby looked surprised.

"I just thought... from the other side... It might help her."

"No, Ruby," Charlie said, her voice shrill. "I'm not talking to the girl about giving my baby away."

Joey put a gentle hand on her girlfriend's arm, trying to calm her.

"Sorry," Ruby said, utterly deflated and rather shocked at the outburst. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought you might like to help her."

"I don't know her. You two know her. I barely know her at all and I'm not prepared to share my experiences with anyone, least of all a stranger. A stranger who's been adopted herself and might tell me exactly what a terrible person I am. I can tell myself that, thank you very much."

She leapt off the sofa and charged into her bedroom, furious with herself for overreacting. Ruby looked helplessly at Joey.

"It's a sensitive issue," Joey said awkwardly. "She can't talk about that stuff. It's too hard on her. She didn't mean to shout at you, darling. She'll be feeling really guilty now."

Ruby nodded, looking tearful. Joey reached out to hug her.

"I'd better go in and see her."

Ruby nodded.

"Tell her that I'm sorry."

"I will."

She stroked Ruby's face and then hurried in to see her partner. She found her in a heap on the bed.

"Hey," Joey said softly.

She sat down beside Charlie and put a gentle hand on her back.

"I completely overreacted," Charlie mumbled into the bed covers. "I should go and apologise."

"She knows you're sorry," Joey said. "Go out when you're feeling better."

"Is she okay? I didn't mean to yell. It just came out."

"She's okay," Joey confirmed. "Just a bit startled. She didn't mean to upset you."

"I know."

Charlie sat up.

"I just can't talk about it. Not to hardly anyone but especially not to a girl who was given away by her mother. That's too much. It's too hard. I can't," she said.

"I know. And it's okay. You don't have to talk to anybody about anything."

They hugged each other tightly.

"I'm going to go and apologise and then go to sleep. Wait for me?"

"Of course."

***

The following morning, Joey was sat at a table with Abbey and her parents Eric and Jane Matthews. So far, things seemed to be going well. Abbey had changed a lot from the first time she'd met her. She was more mature and far more calm as well as being ready to listen as her parents explained that they hadn't wanted to tell her until she was older. They told her repeatedly just how much they loved her and that they desperately wanted to come home. She told them proudly about how much she felt she'd changed, that she had made good friends in Summer Bay and was getting on well in school. Joey wondered if Abbey wanted to leave at all.

***

Charlie was still feeling unsettled. Although she had made up with Ruby, just the idea of talking to Abbey about giving Grace away was too much for her.

"Are you alright, Charlie?" Angelo asked from his desk.

"Yeah," Charlie lied. "I've just got stuff on my mind."

"Anything I can help with?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," she teased.

Angelo nodded and laughed.

"Hey, we should all go out for drinks sometime," he suggested. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," Charlie agreed. "Yeah, that sounds good."

They looked up when Watson came in, talking on the phone and grinning inanely.

"Star," Charlie and Angelo said in unison.

Watson had been smitten with her new girlfriend since their date. Charlie didn't think she'd ever seen her friend so happy. Watson had even gone as far as clearing the air with Angelo after what had happened with Davina. She was falling for Star and was very happy. There was no need to bear a grudge against anyone except Davina herself, who she'd joyfully noticed looked extremely put out.

***

"It's not just about the baby," Joey ventured awkwardly as she and Ruby sat down to a snack in the Diner together. "It's about the whole thing, you know? She's working through it in therapy but it's not the kind of thing you get over easily. She's just not ready to talk about it yet."

Ruby nodded.

"I know. I shouldn't have asked. I just thought that it might help Abbey... well, it might help Charlie too if they could share their experiences from each side," she explained. "I feel terrible now."

"Don't," Joey said. "She knows you didn't mean any harm. She just panicked. I agree that one day, it might be good for them to talk to each other but now maybe isn't the right time. Until recently, Charlie had never told anybody about the baby except her parents. She's just getting used to sharing it with you and I."

"Maybe I could do something nice for her tonight. What do you think?"

"That'd be good," Joey said. "Maybe I could give you some time together."

"Oh, you don't have to leave..."

"It's okay. I want to catch up with Star anyway. I've hardly seen her since she got all smitten with Watson."

She grinned, pleased that her two friends were so happy together.

***

Abbey burst out of the Diner, her blood boiling. She'd spent the rest of the day with her parents and then they'd gone back to their hotel to get changed. She'd promised to call them so that they could go for dinner. Stopping by the Diner to see if any of her friends were around, Abbey had frozen when she'd overheard Joey and Ruby talking about Charlie having a baby and giving it away. Furious that she had actually got to know someone who was capable of such a thing, Abbey broke into a run. Confronting Charlie was the only thing on her mind.

***

Charlie arrived home in a slightly light mood. Angelo, Jack and Watson had all cheered her up and made her laugh. They'd all agreed to go for drinks on Friday night. She decided she needed it. Dropping her bag on the kitchen table, she headed straight for the kettle.

"How can you live with yourself?"

Charlie jumped and knocked her empty mug over as Abbey barged into the house behind her.

"Abbey..." she managed.

"How could you give your baby away? What kind of person are you?"

Charlie blanched and struggled for words as Abbey's eyes burned into hers.

"I..."

"No defence? I didn't think so. What was it? Inconvenient or something?"

"No. Abbey, it wasn't like that..."

"What was it like?" Abbey demanded. "What did that little baby ever do to you that you had to abandon it?"

"Nothing. It wasn't about her. I was twelve, I..."

"You were screwing people at twelve?" Abbey exploded. "You fucking deserved to get pregnant then if you were some kind of slut!"

"It wasn't like that..."

"How dare you pretend to be my friend when all along you did exactly the same thing to your baby that my birth mother did to me!"

"Abbey..." Charlie pleaded.

"Do you know what it feels like to be abandoned like that? Do you know what it means to feel so shitty about yourself because of one person? My mother didn't want me. She just handed me over to any old person and didn't give a shit about what happened to me!"

"I'm sure she..."

"Don't you dare speak for her!" Abbey ranted. "You're disgusting. You sit here with your nice little job and your pretty little life and you don't even deserve it! You deserve to be suffering for what you did to your child!"

"I am suffering!" Charlie protested. "Do you think I don't miss her every single day? Do you think I don't wish there could have been another way?"

"There _was _another way, Charlie! You could have kept her. You could have done the right thing."

"I tried to give her a good life! She couldn't have had that with me."

"You gave her nothing!" Abbey snapped. "Same as my mother gave me. She didn't care about me. She gave me fuck all like you gave your kid."

"There were circumstances..."

"I don't care. You gave your baby nothing like my Mum gave me nothing. You both deserve to go to hell! Oh wait, no, I forgot. My Mum gave me grace."

"Grace?"

"She gave me some stupid name and then handed me over."

"She named you..."

"The only identity I can associate with her is my damn middle name. That's it. That's nothing."

Charlie's mind was reeling. Abbey had originally been named Grace. She was born around the same time as the child Charlie gave up for adoption.

"Abbey, please listen..." she tried.

"I don't want to listen to you. You make me sick!"

***

Joey and Ruby arrived home just as Abbey turned and flounced out of the house. They rushed forward as Charlie sank down on the floor in tears. Heaving sobs wracked her body.

"Charlie?" Joey said, reaching for her. "Sweetheart? Talk to me. What happened?"

"She... she found out about..." Charlie sobbed, hardly able to breathe.

She suddenly began to choke on her tears. Joey reached for her, stroking her hair and face and holding her tightly. Ruby stared at the couple of the floor and then headed back out of the house as fast as her legs would carry her.


	86. Chapter 86

**Chapter Eighty-Six**

Heaving sobs wracked Charlie's body. She thought her chest was going to explode and she couldn't catch her breath. Tears streamed down her face, stinging her eyes and burning her cheeks. Joey clung to Charlie, her heart pounding. In all their time together, she had never seen her so devastated before. Continuing to hold her and stroke her hair, Joey whispered that everything would be alright.

"It... won't!" Charlie managed between sobs.

"What happened, Charlie?" Joey asked.

"She... she... she found..."

Charlie hiccupped. It hurt.

"She found out... about... about..."

Charlie pushed her palms against her eyes, desperately trying to block out her vision, even though it wouldn't stop her memories racing around in her head. She pictured her baby, the final look she'd had of Grace before her father had taken her to her adoptive parents. And she pictured Abbey, looking at her with absolute disgust, standing and screaming at her. She cried harder, pushing her palms harder against her skull to the point that it hurt.

"She found out about Grace," she managed.

Joey held her tighter and then noticed the pressure Charlie was applying to her face. She pulled her arms away gently, crouching lower so that she could look at her girlfriend.

"Charlie," she said. "Charlie, listen to me."

"She found out and she hates me!" Charlie sobbed. "She said I was disgusting. I _am _disgusting!"

In desperation, she hit the cabinet beside her. It shuddered on impact and hurt Charlie's hand. Joey made a grab for her, holding both hands in hers to keep her still.

"You're not disgusting," she said seriously. "Don't you ever, ever think that, Charlie, not ever. Do you hear me?"

"I gave my baby away," Charlie cried.

"There were circumstances. Abbey doesn't know that, okay? She's just jumped to conclusions and not given you a chance to tell her your side. You know what she's like."

Charlie let her head fall back against the cupboard behind her a little too hard. She began to cry harder.

"Charlie..." Joey pleaded.

She'd never seen her like this before. Even when she had been suffering so much during her recovering after Skip's attack, she hadn't been quite this broken.

"Joey, she's never going to forgive me," Charlie managed.

"Her opinion isn't important, Charlie," Joey said gently.

"I think it might be."

Joey just stared, waiting for more and wondering what on earth was going on in her girlfriend's head but Charlie was in no state to explain.

***

"Hey!" Ruby yelled. "Abbey! Stop!"

Abbey's heart was pounding in her ears as she stormed down the road. She tried to tune Ruby's voice out as she kept walking, hate in her heart.

"Abbey! Would you stop?" Ruby hollered.

Realising her request was getting her nowhere, she broke into a run, clutching her tummy. Catching up with Abbey, she grabbed her arm and spun her round.

"What the hell is going on?" Ruby demanded.

She was caught off guard by Abbey's red rimmed eyed and tear stained face.

"Well?" she said, undeterred.

"Did you know?" Abbey asked.

"Know what?"

"That your sister... your 'stand up for the community, loved by everyone', sister is some heartless bitch who gave up her baby?"

Ruby sighed.

"Yes, I know she gave her baby away. But she was twelve, Abbey. That's younger than us. How could she have raised a kid at that age?"

"She could have tried," Abbey snarled.

"There were circumstances," Ruby said, feeling protective of her sister.

"How can you stand there four months pregnant and ready to raise a kid at fifteen and say there were circumstances?" Abbey wanted to know.

"Because there were! It's different for me, Abbey. You have no idea what Charlie's been through."

"I don't care what she's been through. What do you think her poor kid's been through? Do you know what it feels like to know that your own parents don't love you?"

"Would you stop being so fucking selfish for one second?" Ruby exploded.

Abbey just stared.

"I can't comment on your birth mother but I can tell you that Charlie loved her little girl. Grace meant the world to her and she would have loved to have raised her. But she couldn't. She wasn't some girl who got pregnant by accident. She was raped, Abbey. She was abused and raped by our Dad's friend. And she was a child. That's why she couldn't raise her baby. That's why she had to give her away to parents that would take care of her. She loved her enough to do that."

Abbey felt the wind knocked out of her sails. She was suddenly overwhelmed with guilt for yelling at Charlie. Perhaps she had been too hasty and aggressive.

"I don't know what you said to Charlie but you need to take it back and apologise," Ruby said seriously. "She was a wreck when you walked out of there."

Abbey nodded. She couldn't speak. There were too many horrible images in her head.

***

Joey had gently hauled a still sobbing Charlie to her feet and guided her onto the couch where she could at least grieve in a little more comfort. As soon as she was seated, Charlie curled up into the corner of the sofa, clutching a couch cushion. She could still hardly speak or breathe. Joey wrapped tender arms around her, desperate for Charlie to explain but not wanting to push. Instead, she held on tight, frequently kissing the top of Charlie's head.

"I love you," she whispered softly.

Charlie looked up at the words and gazed into Joey's eyes in wonder. She was stunned by the concept that it was even possible to be loved right at that moment. She fell against Joey and held her tightly, crying all over again.

***

Abbey and Ruby sat side by side on the sand as soon as they arrived at the beach. Neither girl knew what to say or do so they remained silent, staring out at the sea. Abbey couldn't stop feeling bad about how she had treated Charlie. Yet again, she had jumped in without asking questions first. She could hardly imagine what the woman had been through, to be abused and raped and forced to conceive a child. As much as it made her sick to admit it, Abbey couldn't blame her now. And she could only imagine how hard a decision it had been to come to. It made her think about her own mother, fearing what had happened to her. What had Abbey been the product of? Why had Abbey's mother given her away? All this time she'd believed it was cut and dried, that her mother had let her down but what if the world had let her mother down first. As images and ideas flashed around her brain, Abbey replayed the conversation that she and Ruby had had. Suddenly, something struck her.

"Ruby," she said softly. "What did you say Charlie's baby's name was?"

Ruby turned to her friend, almost surprised that she was still there. Lost in her own reverie about her only recently acquired knowledge about her sister's childhood, she suddenly couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Did I say her name?" she wondered, not really remembering half the things she'd yelled.

"Yes."

"It was Grace," Ruby told her. "She named her that because she said grace was the only thing she could give her – the grace to live a happy life that wasn't marred by how she was conceived."

Abbey swallowed, her mind reeling and a lump in her throat beginning to swell and ache.

"I'm going to head home," she said, getting to her feet.

"Aren't you going to apologise to Charlie?" Ruby asked, irritated.

"Tomorrow," Abbey said. "I don't think it'll help to see me right now."

With that, she ran off in the direction of the youth centre. Ruby remained on the sand.

***

"Charlie, why do you think Abbey is Grace?" Joey asked softly, when her partner's tears had finally begun to subside.

Through Charlie's tears, that was all Joey had managed to deduce so far. Her mind was reeling.

"She said... she said her name... her birth name was Grace," Charlie said.

"Well, that's not enough..."

"She was born on the same day as my Grace. Same year and everything."

Joey nodded, trying to take everything in.

"What's her surname, Joey?" Charlie asked.

"Matthews."

Charlie sighed.

"Dad couldn't remember the surname of the people who adopted her but he was certain it began with M."

Joey sat back against the couch cushions. She could hardly believe that the girl she had been looking after for weeks now could potentially be her girlfriend's biological child. Suddenly so many things began to fall into place. They had similar habits, namely chewing their lips when they were nervous. And they had the same eyes. Joey could conjure Abbey's eyes so clearly now that she felt like an idiot for not seeing it all before. She'd known there was something special about the girl, something she couldn't place that drew her to her. But she'd never dreamed it would be something like this.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Joey said shakily.

She reached for Charlie's hand, not sure if she was offering or asking for support. Charlie nodded.

"Right," she said. "I mean, it's not conclusive evidence."

"Her parents... her adoptive parents are in town. Let me speak to them..."

"No! You can't mention me, Joey!" Charlie protested quickly.

"Let me speak to them about Abbey's birth mother, find out what they know about her. If anything matches, we can go from there."

Charlie forced a smile. Joey reached out to hug her. As they sat in each other's arms, Charlie began to cry softly again. Joey drew away slowly, keeping hold of Charlie's shoulders and looking into her eyes.

"Charlie?"

"Sorry," Charlie apologised. "Just... the things she said to me are still ringing in my ears."

Joey swallowed. She didn't know what Abbey had said but she could imagine it well enough and whether she was going to turn out to be Charlie's child or not, it made her want to charge round to the youth centre and start shouting. Nobody was allowed to treat Charlie that way, whatever their childhood trauma was.

"Joey, do you blame me?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"For what?"

"For getting pregnant, for not keeping my baby, for everything..."

"No!" Joey said, looking horrified. "Getting pregnant was something that was done _to _you, Charlie. There's no such thing as it being your fault. And as for giving Grace... Abbey... whoever, up... I'd like to see anyone else in your position cope with the same choice. You were a child, Charlie. You'd had one period before you got pregnant and you suffered years... years of..."

Tears stung her eyes like they did every time she thought about Charlie's past. While she thought she had been as supportive as it was possible to be and she had certainly listened to Charlie's pain for hours, she couldn't talk about it. She couldn't discuss Charlie's suffering any easier than she could talk about her own traumatic childhood. Sometimes just thinking about what that man, Ross's friend, had put Charlie through, poor innocent Charlie, made her fall into a pit of despair. Charlie had noticed this quickly and even apparently discussed it with her counsellor. Shelley had suggested that Joey come in for a one off session or perhaps for a couples' session. Joey hadn't yet agreed. It was too much for her. She felt Charlie hold onto her hands.

"You cannot be held responsible for any of this, Charlie," Joey said. "You did what you thought was best. You took care of her in your own way. You're blameless in all of this, Charlie. Blameless."

They turned when they heard a movement behind them. Ruby hovered awkwardly.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's fine, Ruby," Charlie said.

She and Joey both wiped their eyes. Ruby tentatively came to sit down.

"I um... I told Abbey what happened to you."

Expecting her sister to be furious, Ruby was surprised when Charlie promptly burst into tears again, looking desperately at Joey, who put her arm around her.

"I was just trying to protect you," Ruby said quickly. "I was trying to stand up for you, Charlie. She needed to know that she was wrong."

Charlie nodded and constantly brushed at her eyes as more tears came.

"I know, sweetheart," she said gently, reaching for her sister's hand. "Thank you."

"Whatever she said, whatever cruel shit came out of her mouth... it's not true," Ruby said firmly, getting to her feet.

Charlie didn't even bother to reprimand her for her language.

"You're amazing," Ruby continued, still holding Charlie's hand. "I know it, Joey knows it, Dad knows it and Mum knew it. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

Charlie reached out and wrapped her arms around Ruby's waist. She couldn't verbalise how touched she felt by what her little sister was saying to her.

"I love you, Charlie," Ruby said tenderly.

"I love you too, Ruby," Charlie replied.

***

The following morning, Joey phoned in sick for Charlie and then prepared to go to work herself. She'd been tempted to tell Miles she couldn't make it but she knew she had to see Abbey's parents and attempt to sort this for her partner once and for all. Dressed and ready to leave, Joey crept back onto the bed and stroked Charlie's face. Charlie opened her eyes and managed to smile.

"I'm off to work," Joey said. "I'll get off early if I can, okay? And I'll speak to Abbey's parents."

Charlie nodded gratefully.

"I love you," Joey added.

Charlie reached up and tangled her hands in Joey's soft hair.

"I love you too. Thank you for loving me even though I'm a mess."

Joey relaxed a little more on the bed, lying on her side and keeping close.

"Charlie, I know we haven't actually made our vows yet but I mean all of them already. No matter what, I am going to be here for you and with you. Nothing could ever push me away, alright?"

Charlie nodded, trying not to become tearful again. Joey shifted again and planted a delicate but loving kiss on Charlie's mouth.

"I'll be in touch," she said.

Kissing her one more time, Joey left the house.

***

Abbey had barely slept all night. She couldn't stop turning over the idea that she may have unwittingly come across her birth mother. Lying in bed, having decided not to bother with school, she remained still and listened to the noise of the centre around her. She watched her roommate get up and go to the bathroom to get washed and dressed. Glancing at the time, she wondered if Joey would be in today or if she would be looking after Charlie. She wondered if Charlie had any idea that there was a possibility that they could be related. And she wondered how she felt about it. _Well, she's probably happy she got rid of you now, _she thought glumly.

***

As soon as Joey arrived at work, before she'd even made herself a drink, she was at her desk and on the phone to Abbey's parents. They answered eagerly and readily agreed to meet with her, presumably hoping for some kind of progress with their daughter. Joey knew she had no news for them but she had to speak to them and find out whatever they knew about Abbey's birth mother. She had to do it for Charlie, for Abbey and for their family.

***

Charlie stayed in her pyjamas all day. Leah had eyed her curiously, wondering what was wrong but not wanting to press the issue. Ruby had reluctantly gone to school but hadn't wanted to leave her sister. She hadn't understood why Joey had gone to work and left her. It felt like a strange thing to do – to go out when her girlfriend needed her but she resigned herself to leave the couple to it. They knew better than she did.

***

"I don't understand what all this has got to do with reuniting our family," Jane said, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

She and her husband had invited Joey to meet them at their hotel to try and talk about Abbey and what to do with her.

"I just want to get a wider knowledge of Abbey's background," Joey lied.

She felt guilty but every time she pictured Charlie curled up on the kitchen floor in tears, her guilt was eradicated.

"But Abbey doesn't even know any of that stuff," Eric said.

"She doesn't know anything about her birth mother?"

"No. Well, just the name the girl gave her."

"I think it would help Abbey if she learnt more about her," Joey said, not lying this time. "Do you remember much?"

Deciding to trust the girl that Abbey had come to adore so much, Jane spoke up.

"She was a child herself," she said. "Not even a teenager yet. We don't know the full story but it was obvious that she'd been abused in some way. Nobody is as traumatised as she was without something terribly happening to her. We only met her a couple of times and she was barely present with us. She was pale and depressed. She couldn't even look us or anyone in the eye, not even her own parents. It was like she was this hollow, broken shell. I've never seen anything like it."

She stopped talking, lost in her own memories of Abbey's parentage. Joey was struck with potential images of Charlie at that age, suffering so deeply.

"Her father was a well respected man," Eric said, continuing the story on behalf of his wife.

Joey was completely absorbed. She was still picturing Charlie.

"He was a Detective. His wife had literally just given birth to a little girl of her own."

"Can you remember their names?" Joey asked.

Jane looked unsure.

"You don't think Abbey will try and find her birth mother, do you?" she asked.

"I don't know. I won't tell her the name if that's what you're worried about."

"The girl's name was Charlotte," Jane said. "Charlotte Buckton."

***

After a long morning, Joey was already drained. She phoned Miles as she left the Matthews family, explaining that she needed to go home and didn't know if she'd be back that day. He told her that he owed her time off in lieu so to go for it. Arriving back, Joey searched the house. She found Charlie in bed where she'd left her. She hadn't even drawn the curtains or turned on a light. Standing the doorway, Joey's eyes found Charlie's in the dimness of the room.

"It's her," she said.


	87. Chapter 87

**Chapter Eighty-Seven**

Abbey sat with her parents in their hotel room. She took a breath.

"Mum, Dad, I need you to tell me about my birth mother."

Jane took a sharp breath.

"Why?" she asked. "Did that Joey girl put you up to this?"

"Joey? No. Why do you ask?"

Abbey was puzzled. Had Joey come to see her parents?

"Was she here?" Abbey asked.

"She came to visit this morning to talk about your progress," Eric explained. "And she was asking about your birth mother."

Abbey instantly felt torn between suspicion and confirmation that Charlie was her mother. She knew if it had been anyone but Joey who had approached her parents behind her back, she would have been furious. But it was Joey. She couldn't be upset with Joey. She meant too much to her.

"Did she say why she was asking?"

"She thought it would help," Jane said.

"It would help me if I knew about my mother," Abbey told them.

Jane and Eric exchanged unhappy glances, feeling sure that to divulge such information would be to lose their little girl.

"But we love you," Jane said tearfully. "You _our _daughter, not some girl's."

Abbey reached across and held her mother's hand.

"Mum, I love you," she said gently. "I will always love you and I'm sorry for hurting you by running away. Knowing about my birth mother, even trying to find her, won't change that. I'll still be your daughter. I'll still be the girl that you raised, that you took into your home and brought up as your own."

Joey's words rang in Abbey's head, pouring out of her mouth, finally giving her some understanding of herself and her parents.

"But I need to know where I came from. I need to know who I am."

Jane clung on and bowed her head. Finally, she turned to her husband.

"Go and get it," she said.

He nodded. Abbey looked at her retreating father in confusion. He disappeared towards the bed at the other end of the hotel room and opened the bedside drawer. Turning back to his wife and daughter, he came to sit beside Abbey and handed over and envelope.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a letter from your birth mother," he said. "She asked us to give it to you when we felt you were ready to read it. I guess you're ready now. We had a feeling this was going to come up when we saw you again so we brought it just in case."

Abbey accepted it and nodded slowly.

"I need to read this by myself," she said softly, getting to her feet.

"Will we see you later?" Jane asked, following her to the door.

"I'll call you," Abbey promised.

***

Charlie lay in Joey's arms. She felt numb and lost. Abbey Matthews was her daughter; her baby Grace, the child she had given away at the tender age of twelve.

"What should we do?" she asked, having been silent for a very long time.

"I don't know," Joey said.

Her mind had been reeling almost as fast as Charlie's. She had not yet reached any conclusions as to what to do about this latest development. What was in Abbey's best interest? What was in Charlie's? Nothing felt quite real.

"I guess, thinking about it, it makes sense," Charlie mused. "She has the same eyes."

"She does," Joey said.

She felt silly for not having spotted it herself.

"I guess it explains why I was so drawn to her," she said. "Maybe I saw you in her without realising it."

Charlie smiled weakly, liking the idea.

"Listen, you've been in your PJ's all day. Why don't I run you a nice bath with bubbles and scented candles and a nice cold drink?" Joey suggested softly.

Charlie nodded in agreement. Joey kissed the top of her head and eased herself off the bed towards the bathroom.

***

Abbey sat on the beach and prepared to open the envelope, having finally found a tangible connection to her past. Her hands were trembling so badly that she struggled to open the letter but finally she managed. She started crying before she even began reading.

_My dearest, darling Grace,_

_I know this probably isn't your name anymore but today, on the day you were born, it is. It's what I've called you because it's the only thing I can give you – the grace of a new start, of a clean slate, of a fresh life._

_It breaks my heart to have to say goodbye to you today. You're here with me now, sound asleep and your new parents will be arriving soon. This is my last chance to say goodbye to you and it's the hardest thing I think I will ever have to do. Please don't ever think I've done this easily, Grace. I love you so much. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. But it's not possible for me to give you the life you deserve._

_So in order to say hello and goodbye, I'm writing you this letter and trusting that your new Mum and Dad will give it to you when the time is right. My name is Charlie and I am twelve years old. A bad thing happened to me and I found myself pregnant with you. And even though it was a bad thing that happened, I would never regret your life. Because I know that you're going to grow up to be an amazing, wonderful person. I know you're going to be clever and funny and beautiful and you're going to be so happy. You're already so beautiful, Grace. You're the most beautiful baby I've ever seen in my whole life._

_If you ever want to track me down, I would be so happy. I would welcome you with open arms. My name is Charlotte Buckton and my Dad is a Detective. His name is Ross Buckton. We shouldn't be that difficult to find and I'm sure your parents will help you. And if you don't want to find me, then I will understand. Please don't ever feel abandoned. And don't ever feel like I don't love you. I love you so much and I only want to do what's best for you._

_I only have a few minutes left with you so I'm going to close this letter and hold you and say goodbye. I hope I've written everything that I wanted to. I'm dreading missing out something important._

_Goodbye my beautiful Grace,_

_I love you,_

_Your Mum,_

_Charlie_

_xxx_

Tears were streaming down Abbey's face as she read and re-read the letter. She softly touched a point on the paper where she presumed Charlie must have cried while she was writing the note as there was a smudge that looked like a tearstain. She stroked the page, feeling a rush of emotion rage through her body.

***

Charlie stepped out of the bath, having enjoyed her soak as best as possible. She was grateful to Joey for the way she always looked after her. Her partner met her in the bathroom.

"If I head to the Diner and get some food for me, you and Ruby, will you be okay here by yourself?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"I got you a fresh pair of pyjamas," Joey said, offering them up to Charlie.

Charlie slipped out of her towel. Joey didn't even pause to leer. She was feeling that deep a level of concern. Instead, she hurried forward, pyjamas still in hand and wrapped her arms around Charlie's naked body. They clutched each other tightly.

"We'll make everything right, Charlie," she promised. "I have no idea how but we will."

"Thank you," Charlie mumbled into Joey's neck.

She placed a soft kiss there and drew away. Joey left her to get changed.

***

Abbey sat on the beach and continued to read the letter Charlie had left her. There was absolutely no doubt that Senior Constable Charlie Buckton, Joey's fiancée, Ruby's sister, Abbey's friend, was her mother. It felt so strange to begin to accept it. That meant that Joey would soon become her step mother. It meant that Ruby, her best friend was actually her aunt. It meant that in four months time, she would have a cousin.

***

Joey entered the Diner and greeted Leah warmly.

"Hey, Joey. How's it going?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, fine," Joey lied.

It was easier to be polite than to attempt to explain the whole sorry saga.

"Just checking in for some takeaway," she said. "We're too tired to cook."

"Fair enough. I've actually got an amazing lasagne that you'd both love. It's going spare and therefore free and it'll feed four. What do you say to that?"

"I say I have the best housemate ever!" Joey grinned. "Wait, why's it spare and free?"

"It got ordered and served and then the table announced they were vegetarians. I swear they didn't touch it."

"Count us in," Joey grinned.

Leah hurried away to get her meal. Joey spied Ruby sitting with Nicole not too far away.

"Hey, Rubes," she said, wandering over.

"Hi. How's Charlie?"

"She changed out of pyjamas."

"That's good."

"Into new ones."

"Oh."

"She'll be okay."

"All because she had a row with Abbey?" Nicole asked.

Joey looked anxious about what Nicole might have been told.

"You didn't hear the row," Ruby said. "Anyway, what's for dinner?"

"Lasagne. Be back whenever you're ready. We'll save you some."

***

Charlie heard a noise in the kitchen. Presuming it was Joey, she didn't get up from the couch.

"Charlie?" said a meek voice.

Charlie leapt up and came face to face with Abbey. The fifteen year-old stood looking vulnerable and forlorn. She was clutching a piece of paper in one hand and her eyes were puffy and red rimmed.

"Abbey," Charlie managed, her heart pounding.

She had no idea what to say or do. Abbey met her gaze and desperately tried to find her voice.

"Are you... are you my mother?" she finally asked.


	88. Chapter 88

**Chapter Eighty-Eight**

"I..."

Charlie struggled to find her breath and her words. She tried again.

"I... I think so."

Abbey burst into tears again. Charlie followed suit.

"Did you know?" Abbey asked. "All this time? Did you know?"

"No," Charlie said. "I only clicked yesterday when you... when we... talked."

"When I was yelling at you," Abbey corrected her. "Because I told you the name my birth mother... the name _you _gave me."

Charlie nodded. Neither party had moved since Abbey had first entered the house. Both were afraid to approach the other. They were rooted to the spot.

"Hey, Charlie! Leah gave us a free dinner!" Joey called when she walked through the door.

She stopped very still when she almost bumped into Abbey who was staring at Charlie. Charlie was staring right back at Abbey. Joey licked her lips nervously.

"Um... hi, Abbey," she said.

"She knows," Charlie told her partner.

"Did you know?" Abbey asked Joey.

Compassion flooded Joey's heart. She had never seen the girl looked so vulnerable.

"Charlie told me last night," she said gently. "When she realised."

She looked up at Charlie, wanting to make sure she was okay. Silent tears fell down mother and daughter's cheeks.

"Why don't we sit down?" Joey suggested.

She gently took hold of Abbey's elbow and guided her towards the sofa that Charlie hadn't been sitting on. Almost limp in Joey's arms, Abbey bent to her will. Charlie swallowed and sat on the other couch.

"Do you guys want me to make myself scarce?" Joey asked.

"No!" both girls said in unison.

"Okay," Joey said quietly.

She sat on one side of Charlie so that she was essentially between the two of them.

"Let's try and talk this through. Abbey, what do you have in your hand?"

Abbey looked down at the folded piece of paper. For the whole journey over to the house, she'd held onto it like her life depended on it, but sitting here, unable to take her eyes off Charlie, she'd almost forgotten it was there.

"It's my letter," Charlie realised.

Joey turned to look at her curiously.

"It's on _Barbie_ notepaper," Charlie said. "I was really into them. And I wondered if my baby would be too so I put it on paper I thought she might like."

She swallowed and continued to stare at Abbey, who was staring right back at her.

"I'm sorry," Abbey said quietly. "I'm sorry I was so awful to you. Ruby told me... what happened. And I guess you tried to. But I... I didn't listen. And I was... I was horrible. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Charlie said softly. "You didn't know."

"Hang on," Joey interjected. "Even if you had known, or if it had been a different story, you shouldn't have spoken to Charlie like that. Nobody deserves to be treated that way."

Abbey looked down at her hands, turning the note over and over.

"I don't want to be unkind and I don't want to dwell on in it particularly because you've apologised and Charlie's accepted it but you cannot go round talking to people like that," Joey said. "Charlie wasn't able to raise her child. She didn't commit a crime, she didn't deliberately hurt anybody; she did what she believed to be the right thing. You should never have treated her that way."

"I know!" Abbey said, bursting into tears again.

Charlie was too numb to speak. She just watched.

"Okay," Joey said softly. "It's okay. We can move on from that."

Abbey nodded and wiped her eyes, looking back up. She gazed at Joey and then back at Charlie who was pale. She thought back to the first time she'd met her... met her mother. Charlie had been a big, strong cop. Now she was sitting in her pyjamas looking as frightened as Abbey felt.

"I'm sorry for what you went through," Abbey managed. "When you got pregnant. I'm sorry."

Charlie smiled compassionately.

"It's not your fault."

"You must have hated me," Abbey said.

Her voice was soft, lacking accusation.

"I never hated you. I hated what had happened to me," Charlie explained. "And I thought it had ruined my life because there seemed to be consequence after consequence but I never hated you. I loved you."

"Did you... did you ever think about keeping me?" Abbey asked. "Or were you always going to give me away?"

Joey sat back a little more in her seat, not wanting to intervene in the tentative conversation between mother and daughter.

"My parents and I had a long talk about it, over the first half of the pregnancy. Such a big part of me wanted to keep you. Even though I was young, still playing with Barbie dolls in secret, I hated to think of not living my life with you," Charlie explained. "But I knew it wasn't possible. My parents knew it wasn't possible. The pregnancy... it was... it was hard on my body. I didn't take to it like Ruby has. I was sick so much of the time because I wasn't ready for it and because I was so broken from what had happened. I wanted you to have the best life imaginable and I knew I couldn't give you that."

Charlie brushed more tears away. Abbey nodded in understanding.

"Have you... have you had a good life, Abbey?" Charlie asked. "Did I give you to the right parents?"

Abbey smiled.

"You gave me to amazing parents. I know..." she said, glancing briefly at Joey. "I know I fell out with them but that's only because I was so confused. Really, they've been amazing to me. They loved me, they took care of me, they gave me everything I needed."

Charlie smiled through her tears, happy that Abbey had been raised so well but sad that it hadn't been her to do it.

"I guess that's why I freaked out so much," Abbey said. "I had no idea I was adopted until I overheard Mum talking to her friend. It never occurred to me that I wasn't theirs because I was always treated like their child. Their real one."

"They saw you as their real one," Charlie said. "You are their real one. When we... when we met them, while I was pregnant... well, I don't really remember it that clearly but I do remember how desperate they were for a child of their own. I wanted to give you to someone who would love you as much as I did."

"Thank you for giving me a happy life," Abbey said.

Charlie smiled. More tears fell. She wiped them away. Joey got to her feet and disappeared into the back hall for a moment, returning to the lounge with tissues for both of them. She sat back down silently.

"We have the same eyes," Abbey realised.

"Yeah, we do. It was the first thing we said when we realised you were mine."

"Should we um... do you want to get a DNA test? To prove it? Or are you happy...?" Abbey asked.

"If you want to," Charlie said. "Whatever you want."

"Maybe... maybe seeing it in black and white would help," Abbey said thoughtfully.

"Do you um...? I know your parents are in town. Will you... will you be going back with them or...?"

Charlie feared the answer. After fifteen years, she'd finally found her daughter and she hated the thought of losing her again so soon without knowing her.

"I haven't decided yet," Abbey said honestly.

Charlie nodded and studied her tissue.

"It kind of depends on you."

Charlie looked up sharply.

"I mean... well... I know you gave me up at least in part because of what I represented," Abbey said. "And I don't... I don't blame you for it. But what do I represent now? Do you... would you like to um... would you like to spend time together and try to get to know each other or would you like to just leave it?"

"I'd like to get to know you," Charlie said. "If you want to."

"I want to," Abbey confirmed. "I'd like to find out who you are, Charlie. I'd like to find out who I am."

She turned to Joey.

"Will you help me sort things out?" she asked. "With my parents and everything?"

"Yes. Yes, of course," Joey said, nodding.

"Thank you."

All three women turned when they heard someone coming through the door.

"Hello?" Ruby called.

She stopped when she saw Charlie, Joey and Abbey sitting tensely in the living room.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Ruby, I think you'd better sit down," Charlie said, gesturing for Ruby to join them on the couch.

***

An hour later, everybody knew the whole situation and everybody's mind was reeling. Abbey was trembling slightly. She still couldn't take her eyes away from Charlie's face and wondered if she might grow up to be beautiful like her. She'd always felt so plain but knowing that her mother was so stunning gave her hope that her time to shine was yet to come. Ruby, once she'd forced herself to forgive Abbey for shouting at Charlie the day before, was thrilled. She liked her. They had become very close friends over the last few weeks and now to know that they were family, that Abbey was her niece, felt special. And she was sure it would mean a lot to Charlie to have her daughter back. Joey was impressed with the way both Abbey and Charlie were handling things. Abbey had been mellow and sensitive and Charlie had been open and honest. They seemed to want to be the best that they could be for each other. Charlie's mind was racing. She was confused, overwhelmed and happy. Her daughter was right there in front of her after fifteen long years. It felt strange to think of her long lost child being called Abbey. And it felt strange to think of Abbey as being called Grace. But somehow, things were starting to make sense.

"I guess I'd better head back," Abbey said, although she didn't really want to.

Part of her desperately wanted to stay but part of her thought it would be too much too soon for both her and Charlie and possibly for Ruby and Joey as well. Also, she had promised to see her parents tonight. Charlie nodded a little unhappily.

"I could... I could get dressed and drive you back to the centre if you like," Charlie offered.

"It's okay," Abbey said. "I think I need the walk."

Charlie nodded, trying not to read it as rejection. Abbey stood. Charlie followed.

"I... I'm happy that I found you," Abbey said genuinely.

They looked at each other, wondering if it was okay to hug. They decided it wasn't and kept their distance.

"I'm happy too," Charlie said.

"I'll um... I'll see you guys later?"

"Maybe we could... we could do something tomorrow?" Charlie suggested.

Abbey's eyes lit up.

"That would be nice."

"I finish my shift at six. Perhaps we could get some dinner or something," Charlie said.

"I'd like that."

"Shall I pick you up?"

Abbey nodded and smiled. She turned to the others.

"Thanks," she said quickly and headed towards the door.

Charlie glanced at Joey who nodded encouragingly. Charlie followed Abbey towards the exit.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said at the door.

Abbey smiled. Charlie smiled back.

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

They looked at each other a little awkwardly again. Both were trembling.

"Can I?" Charlie asked, her body and voice trembling.

Abbey swallowed, also shaking. Slowly she stepped into Charlie's arms. The hug only lasted a few moments but it spoke a thousand words. Charlie continued to shake as she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's shoulders and pressed her cheek against her head. Abbey clung on tightly to Charlie's waist. All her life she'd imagined what it would be like to hug her mother and now she was actually doing it. There was a long way to go but it felt amazing. Drawing back slowly, they smiled shyly at each other.

"Tomorrow," Abbey said, stepping out of the house.

"Tomorrow," Charlie confirmed.


	89. Chapter 89

_Thank you to everyone, as ever, for their dedication to this story. I know Charlie in particular has really been through it lately so I thought I'd give our girls a little downtime in this chapter. Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Eighty-Nine**

"I can't believe I have the opportunity to build a relationship with my daughter," Charlie said.

She sat looking as if she was very far away, brushing her hair in her dressing table mirror. Joey smiled and slipped over to her, bending slightly to wrap her arms around her girlfriend. She pressed their cheeks together, glancing at their embrace in the mirror.

"I just can't believe it," Charlie said.

She turned round to face Joey and gazed into her face.

"And to think," she said. "If you hadn't worked so hard with her, taken care of her, we'd never have known."

Joey blushed. She hadn't thought of it like that before and she thought Charlie was probably giving her too much credit but to think she might have played a part in reuniting mother and daughter, then she was happy.

"Thank you," Charlie said, still gazing at her. "Thank you for everything."

Joey shrugged, feeling a little shy. Charlie watched her, standing there in a pair of jeans, her bra and an open shirt. She had been in the middle of getting changed when she'd approached Charlie.

"I feel so... so overwhelmed," the police officer said. "But so happy. She was different, wasn't she? She seemed to really want to understand, to know me, to..."

Joey smiled.

"She did," Joey said. "I think finding you will be the start of a whole new life for her, probably for all of us."

"I hope so," Charlie said.

She reached out and held Joey's hands, squeezing them gently.

"I love you, Joey," she said, locking eyes with her partner.

Joey smiled and pulled Charlie to her feet. She kissed her softly.

"I love you too," she said. "And I'm glad you're happy, that you've found what you've been looking for so long."

"Right now I feel like I have everything I could ever want," Charlie said, keeping her body close. "Ruby's happy, we're about to move into our new house, I'm doing well at work, I've got my daughter back and I'm engaged to the most amazing woman in the world. And none of that was in any order, in case you were wondering."

A smile teased Joey's lips. She reached up and stroked Charlie's hair.

"You're so beautiful," she said softly, admiring her hair, her skin, her eyes, her nose and her mouth.

She saw the blush creep up Charlie's face and she looked down bashfully. Joey lifted Charlie's face again with her finger, maintaining eye contact.

"So perfectly beautiful," she said.

Charlie leant in and kissed her. Their lips brushed together in tender union. Charlie let her hands slip beneath the material of Joey's open shirt. She traced her fingertips up and down Joey's tummy and along her sides. She raised her hands, teasing her breasts ever so briefly until she reached her shoulders. She touched Joey's neck and jaw, ran her hands through her hair. All the while they continued to kiss. Joey let her hands settle on Charlie's hips while Charlie's slipped back down to Joey's shoulders and eased her shirt off. Their lips parted and the material fell to the floor silently. Charlie traced her fingertips back down, across Joey's chest, following the lines of her bra. She bent her head and kissed each breast, reaching round to undo the clasp. She guided the item off Joey's body and let it drop to the floor. Their lips met again. Joey moved her hands from Charlie's hips, up her body and under her pyjama top. Charlie allowed her to take it off. She hadn't been wearing a bra all day. Joey nudged her back into her seat and sank slowly to her knees. She wrapped one arm around Charlie's waist and used her other hand to pull Charlie's mouth back down to her. They kissed a little more fervently before Joey let her go and began to pay attention to Charlie's breasts. She used her mouth and her free hand to bring pleasure to Charlie, wanting to be as close to her as possible, to rediscover every part of her and bring her joy. She heard Charlie moan, deep in the back of her throat and arch her back, pushing herself further into Joey's mouth. Finally pulling away, Joey gazed up at her girlfriend's lovely face. She smiled. Charlie got to her feet, pulling Joey with her. They held each other so close that not even a piece of paper would have fit between them and Charlie began to nudge Joey backwards towards the bed. Joey landed on it when her feet hit the base, surprising her. She laughed and leant back as Charlie came to kneel on the bed, guiding her back to the position she wanted her to be in. She knelt one leg either side of Joey and bent to pay her own kind of attention to Joey's waiting breasts. She kissed them, taking them into her mouth, letting her tongue play, excitement coursing through her body, shooting through her in thrills. Joey looked at the ceiling, delighted with Charlie's sensual touch. She could feel her excitement growing, flooding her body with every moment that passed. She appreciated it when Charlie kept one hand teasing her left nipple and felt a thrill of anticipation as Charlie began to kiss her way down her body. Charlie reached the black jeans Joey wore, the ones that were sleek and smart enough to wear to work. She was forced to use both hands to tackle her belt, then her button and then her zip. She shifted off the end of the bed and eased Joey out of her clothes. Joey lifted her hips to help.

"And yours," Joey said with a sly grin.

Charlie shrugged herself out of the bottom part of her pyjamas.

"Mmm..." Joey said, admiring Charlie's body. "And the rest."

Charlie smiled shyly and looked down at the black briefs she was wearing. Her underwear was usually more exciting than that, well, it had been since she'd met Joey and she'd wanted to go to every length to excite her. She pushed her underwear down over her long legs and came back to straddle Joey again, kissing her deeply. Joey ran her hands over Charlie's body. She stroked her breasts, her shoulders, her face, her back, her bottom and then her legs before settling between them. She smiled when she noted how ready for her Charlie already was, using her finger to dip in and out and begin to explore. Charlie stayed over her, leaning in to kiss her passionately, responding to Joey's movements. They quickly developed a rhythmic motion that brought Charlie nearer and nearer to orgasm. She worried that she would collapse on top of Joey but reading the lust on her partner's face, she doubted Joey would mind if she fell. They kissed passionately as they moved together. Joey looked up, studying Charlie's face as she reached her crucial moment. Gazing at her, she fell in love with her all over again. Charlie breathed in deeply as wave after wave of delicious satisfaction overrode her body. With Joey still in place, Charlie lay herself down. She kissed Joey's neck, using her tongue and traced her way down her collarbone.

"Definitely perfectly beautiful," Joey said dreamily.

She used her free hand to stroke Charlie's hair. Charlie looked up and kissed her.

"And definitely, beautifully perfect," Joey added, unable to stop smiling, wanting to keep Charlie close and in her arms forever.


	90. Chapter 90

_Wow, this story is getting pretty long! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I hope you're continuing to enjoy it. I know they're going through a lot at the moment but things will get lighter and cheekier again soon!_

**Chapter Ninety**

Jane was in tears as she sat across from her daughter and Joey. She held onto her husband's hand, clutching it tightly. Abbey had told her that she had found her birth mother and wanted to stay in Summer Bay to get to know her. Jane didn't want it to happen. She'd hoped when they got the phone call inviting them to come and meet with their child, that they'd be able to take her home where she belonged.

"But..." she started. "But we want you to come home."

"I know," Abbey said.

"Why won't you come home?" Jane asked.

"I really want to get to know Charlie, Mum."

"She gave you up, Abbey. I'm your Mum and this is your Dad. Please come home."

"I'm sorry," Abbey said, feeling emotional. "I just... I really have to do this. But it's not like I won't keep in touch with you. I probably won't stay forever, Mum. You're not losing me. I'm... I just... I've got an opportunity to get to know Charlie, to get to know my birth mother. I really want to do this. Please can I have your blessing?"

***

Charlie was distracted at work but doing her best to concentrate so she didn't fret too much about her dinner with Abbey later that day. She'd brought a change of clothes with her so that she could pick her up straight after her shift and not have to go in uniform.

"Penny for them," Angelo said, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Um..." Charlie began.

She had no idea where to begin. Her mobile ringing provided a welcome interruption. It was Joey.

"Hey, sweetheart."

Angelo wandered off, not wanting to eavesdrop.

"Hey, Charlie," came Joey's voice.

"How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Fine. Nervous about tonight."

"I've got Abbey here."

"Is she okay? Is something wrong?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"She's fine. She's told her parents that she wants to stay in the Bay. They're understandably upset but they respect that it's her decision. They've asked to meet you."

Charlie swallowed.

"Okay," she said.

"Would tomorrow afternoon be alright?"

Joey knew full well that her girlfriend wouldn't be working.

"Yes, that'd be fine," Charlie said. "Will you be there?"

"Abbey's asked me to be. Do you mind?"

"No," Charlie said. "Not at all. Is she still okay for tonight?"

Joey glanced at the teenager sitting beside her who had been too timid to make the call herself.

"Yes, she is," she confirmed.

***

Abbey was nervous as she waited for Charlie to arrive. She'd dressed in her smartest clothes, black jeans and a blue shirt, and hoped that she looked alright. She'd battled with her hair to make it look as good as possible and applied enough make up to make herself look as pretty, or so she hoped. Now she just prayed that she could make herself be the kind of daughter that Charlie would want around. Sitting outside the youth centre on the wall, she kept an eye out for blue cars. Finally, Charlie pulled up outside. Abbey nervously got to her feet. She stepped up shyly and with trembling fingers, opened the passenger door. Sitting inside, she and Charlie exchanged shy pleasantries before Abbey strapped herself in and Charlie drove off.

***

Joey and Ruby had arranged to have dinner with Leah. Charlie had given them permission to explain to their housemate exactly what was going on. After dinner, VJ went to play with Joey's race car game by himself while Joey and Ruby prepared to explain the situation.

"So, Abbey is Charlie's daughter?" Leah said, mulling the news over.

"Yeah," Joey said, trying to gauge how she was taking the news.

"Wait... since when does Charlie have a kid?" Leah asked.

"She um... well, she had a bad experience when she was younger," Ruby explained. "And Abbey was the result."

Leah looked horrified

"Oh my... Poor Charlie. I had no idea."

"Nor did I until recently," Ruby told her.

"I knew a few months ago," Joey explained. "Since Ruby got pregnant."

"And is that why Abbey came to Summer Bay?" Leah wanted to know. "To find Charlie?"

"No. That was a coincidence," Joey said. "But now that she's here, they want to make a go of things – build a relationship."

***

Charlie and Abbey sat opposite each other in the Diner. Both felt shy but were enjoying each other's company. Abbey had shared more about her childhood and was enjoying the fact that Charlie was hanging on her every word.

"So, what kind of stuff did you like to do when you were a kid, Charlie?" Abbey asked.

She too wanted to know everything she could about her dinner companion.

"Similar things," Charlie said. "I was really outdoorsy. I loved riding my bike, climbing trees. I was always getting into some kind of scrape or other."

They both grinned, happy to see themselves in each other.

"And then the other half of me liked playing with dolls. I had this little pram and doll I used to take round with me and I used to pretend that the doll was my... um..."

She looked down at her food.

"Your baby?" Abbey asked.

"Yeah," Charlie said quietly.

"I was really touched by the letter you wrote me, Charlie," Abbey said.

Charlie looked back up and smiled.

"I could picture you writing it."

"It was one of the hardest days of my life."

"Could I... maybe... um... would you show me some pictures of you when you were that age?" Abbey asked.

"There... there aren't any," Charlie admitted.

"Oh," Abbey said, uncertain of whether Charlie was telling the truth.

"I wouldn't have my picture taken," Charlie explained. "And the ones that there were, I destroyed. I was depressed."

"Because of me," Abbey concluded.

"Because of the man who abused me."

"Who was he?"

Charlie swallowed, her mouth becoming suddenly dry.

"He was a friend of my father's," Charlie said. "He was in his late thirties. His name was Mike."

"What happened to him?"

Charlie sipped her water.

"Sorry. Do you mind me asking you?"

"No. It's okay. You deserve to know. My Dad... he, he got him charged for something else and he went to prison. I don't know where he is now. I don't want to know."

"I guess I found the right parent," Abbey said.

Charlie smiled at her.

"Who are my family?" Abbey asked. "My grandparents and stuff?"

"Um, well, your grandfather's name is Ross. He's a retired detective. He lives here in town."

"Can I meet him?"

"I'm sure he'd love to meet you, Abbey."

"Is he nice?"  
"He's wonderful. I mean, we have our moments but he's wonderful. At the heart of it, he's wonderful."

"What kind of moments do you have, Charlie?" Abbey wondered.

"He's not as pro-gay as I'd like," Charlie admitted.

"He doesn't like Joey?" Abbey asked incredulously. "How could anyone not like Joey?"

Charlie chuckled.

"You really love her, don't you?"

"She's amazing," Abbey said. "Plus she brought us together, didn't she? In a roundabout way."

"Yeah. She's pretty amazing."

"Are Ross and your Mum still together?"

"My Mum died a couple of years ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry you never got to meet her, Abbey. She was an incredible woman. You would have loved her. But I can show you pictures."

"I'd like that."

"My Dad's married to a woman called Morag now. And despite how long it took me to warm to her, she's a good woman."

"Does she accept Joey?"

"She does."

"I like her already."

***

Charlie dropped Abbey home and walked her to the door the door of the youth centre, hugging her a little awkwardly goodbye before driving home. She smiled to herself the entire way, thrilled with how the evening had gone. It meant a lot to her to be building a relationship with her daughter. It was something she never thought she'd get the opportunity to do. Letting herself in, she found the communal areas abandoned. Wandering into the bedroom, she smiled at Joey who was stretched out on the bed with her nose buried in a book. At Charlie's entrance, Joey nearly fell off the bed in fright.

"Charlie! You scared the shit out of me!" Joey scolded.

"Joey, if you can't handle my crime thrillers, don't read them," Charlie told her.

Pouting, Joey put the book down and opened her arms. Charlie crept into them and kissed her.

"How did your dinner go?" Joey asked.

"It was wonderful," Charlie grinned.

"So, tell me all about it then!"

***

Abbey got changed and tucked herself into bed. It had been a good day. The meeting with her parents had been difficult but she felt like she'd got through to them. It would be hard to watch them leave and she knew she was hurting them but her dinner with Charlie had only confirmed that she needed to get to know her. Already she saw so many similarities between them and it made her feel good about herself and her life. She liked Charlie. It was a long process and she knew they still had a lot of work to do but she was prepared to do it and she thought Charlie was as well.

***

"So, can we talk about your birthday now?" Charlie asked, having finished dissecting her evening with Abbey in minute detail.  
"Um... no," Joey said flatly.

"Why not?"

"Because we've already very clearly established that I don't want to celebrate."

"But..."

"No buts."

"But but..."

"No double buts."

Charlie snorted. Joey kissed her.

"Seriously, I just want it to be a normal day."

"Please, Joey. I've never been with someone I love on their birthday before."

"You've never dated someone on their birthday?"

The lovers were lying side by side in bed. Joey was under the covers. Charlie was on top of them.

"I've dated plenty of people on their birthday. But I've never loved anyone except for you."

Joey grinned.

"See? See that grin? I want to make you smile on your birthday," Charlie pleaded.

"Then let it go," Joey said, pronouncing every word.

"But Joey..."

Joey sighed dramatically.

"Fine!" she said.

Charlie looked hopeful.

"Let's go out on a boat for the day," Joey suggested. "A family trip. Me, you, Ruby and Abbey."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"A family day?"

"Yes."

"With Abbey?"

"She's family, isn't she?"

"Yeah. I guess she is."

"You can arrange it. I'll just show up. And steer the boat."

Charlie leant over and kissed her.

"I love you," she said.

***

The following afternoon, Charlie sat nervously in small room at the youth centre. She was waiting for Joey, Abbey, Jane and Eric to show up and she was terrified. Realising she was chewing her nails, she wrenched her fingers from her mouth and began to drum them on the tabletop. She looked up when the door opened. Abbey came in and smiled shyly.

"Hi, Charlie," she said.

"Hi," Charlie replied.

Abbey took a seat on the adjacent side of the table. They were spared making polite conversation when Joey, Jane and Eric arrived. Abbey's parents sat opposite Charlie. Joey sat between Abbey and Charlie. Miles appeared.

"I think I'm a little too close to this case," Joey explained. "I thought Miles was the best person to mediate. I hope that's okay."

Everyone nodded. Miles seated himself opposite Abbey and smiled brightly.

"Right then," he said. "Shall we get started?"

***

"So, you're happy to stay in this... in this place?" Jane asked, her eyes wide.

Abbey shrugged.

"I'm settled here," she said. "The centre's nice."

"And you... you'll let her stay permanently?" Jane asked Miles.

"The centre is here for kids as long as they need it. I mean, if Abbey's sticking around, it might be that she'll need somewhere more permanent but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We've already established that she's only thinking of staying for a minimum of a month."

Charlie swallowed. She wanted to scream that Abbey could stay with them, that there was room for her in their new house. But she was afraid and she couldn't speak. She didn't know if Abbey would want to live with them and she couldn't handle her fear of rejection. She also didn't want to upset Jane and Eric who she knew already thought she was stealing their daughter away.

"And you'll be there for our daughter?" Jane asked Charlie pointedly. "You won't run out on her?"

Charlie tensed. So did Joey.

"I'll be here," Charlie said quietly. "For whatever she needs."

Jane bit back a retort. She didn't want to fall out with anyone. She just didn't want Abbey to leave her.

"Well, I guess that's it then," she said sadly.

***

One week later, Charlie, Joey, Ruby and Abbey were preparing to set sail on Alf's boat. It had been a strange week. Abbey had said a tearful goodbye to her parents, vowing to keep in touch and insisting that she would always be their daughter first. She missed them now more than she had when she'd originally left home but she'd found some kind of peace with them now and that was perhaps why she missed them so much. But now that she was officially living in Summer Bay, at least for the next four weeks, she had focussed a lot of her energy on getting to know Charlie and her family. She'd been around them every day and she'd been touched when Charlie and Joey had invited her to spend Joey's birthday with her, especially when they'd described it as a family celebration. Standing on deck, she looked around her feeling shy. Ruby was standing at the edge, looking out at the water and breathing in the fresh sea air. She studied Charlie, who looked shy and was busy rummaging around in her bag. She considered approaching her but backed out at the last minute. She went to see Joey instead.

***

Joey smiled when she saw Abbey approach her.

"How do you know how to do all this?" the younger girl asked.

"My Dad taught me," Joey said.

"So, he was nice to you sometimes?"

"Sometimes."

"Would you teach me?" Abbey asked.

"Sure."

Joey stepped back and let Abbey take the wheel. She stood close behind her and guided her on what to do. A short distance away, Charlie watched, chewing her lip. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how close Joey and Abbey were. She wondered if she and her daughter would have that kind of bond one day. But for now, it seemed that Abbey would always turn to Joey first.

***

As lunch time approached, Charlie, Ruby and Abbey set out a picnic on the floor for Joey's birthday meal. Joey was forbidden to help so she stood back and watched, grinning as her family fussed around her. Charlie kissed her cheek and sat her down, positioning herself beside her. Abbey moved to sit next to Joey. Charlie tried not to look devastated. Ruby awkwardly sat herself down on the floor between Abbey and Charlie in a much less dignified fashioned than she'd meant to. She pouted and looked down at her swollen tummy.

"The sooner you come out and play, the better, baby boy," she said.

***

Lunch had been nice and Joey had been overwhelmed when they'd surprised her with a birthday cake. It was the first birthday cake she'd ever had in her memory and she was embarrassed to admit that she'd cried. It had been a good day. Ruby had typically spent the day making everyone laugh and Abbey had been a sweetheart. And it felt amazing to spend her birthday with Charlie, although she sensed some sadness from her girlfriend. She was aware that Abbey had been attached to her instead of Charlie for most of the day, that she seemed to turn to her first. She watched the two teenagers messing around at the front of the boat. Charlie was sitting back, watching them as well. Joey came to sit beside her, slipping her arm around her.

"It'll just take time, Charlie," she said softly.

"I know," Charlie replied.

She plastered a smile on her face, not wanting to wreck the birthday Joey didn't even want to have. Joey kissed her cheek.

"You and Abbey have already made so much progress," Joey added. "And you'll make so much more. It'll just take time."

"It's just hard to see her trust you more than me," Charlie admitted.

"I've just known her longer," Joey said, feeling a little guilty. "That's all it is."

"But I'm her Mum."

She sighed heavily.

"I guess I don't have the right to call myself that."

"Charlie, she's here because of you," Joey reminded her. "She wants to know you. She wants a relationship with you. Just give it time. And you need... you need to be the one who makes all the moves. If you want to sit next to her at lunch, sit next to her. She won't move. She's just too shy to sit next to you. That's all it is. Find things to do with her, things to say to her. She wants to be with you. Trust me."

Charlie nodded and apologised.

"There's nothing to be sorry for."

"I'm feeling sad on your birthday."

"It's the best birthday I've ever had, Charlie," Joey said.

They kissed tenderly, wrapping their arms around each other.

***

Abbey observed Charlie and Joey kissing.

"They make out a lot," she remarked to Ruby.

"You don't know the half of it!" Ruby commented, forgetting for a moment that Abbey was Charlie's daughter.

"Really?" Abbey asked.

"I guess they're that much in love," Ruby said. "It's nice to see. Charlie's not exactly known for her successful relationships."

"She isn't?"

Ruby fretted for a moment, unsure of how much she should tell. She didn't know how much Charlie wanted her daughter knowing about her life. But then, secrets had almost destroyed them.

"Well, she's never been one for letting people in," Ruby admitted.

Charlie and Joey were still kissing and holding each other on the other side of the boat.

"I've never understood it before but I guess it was because of stuff that happened to her."

Abbey shifted uncomfortably.

"But anyway, Charlie never gave her heart to anyone before. She's had boyfriends and stuff, good guys, not so good guys... nobody that she's ever really opened up to. And then there was Joey. She just totally swept her off her feet."

Abbey smiled.

"What was it about her, do you think?" she asked.

"I don't know. I didn't actually find out about them for a while. They'd been together a couple of times before they started dating this time around. But this time I guess it stuck. Charlie's talked about it a couple of times. She said that Joey was just so charming that she couldn't say no. She said there was an indescribable attraction between them that they couldn't ignore."

"Sounds romantic."

"Yeah. It's definitely changed Charlie. I never thought I'd see the day when she'd swoon over someone, talk about her feelings... actually be getting married!"

"Do you think... they'd invite me to the wedding?"

"Abbey, I think that's a given," Ruby grinned.

Abbey blushed. She desperately wanted to be part of their lives.


	91. Chapter 91

**Chapter Ninety-One**

One week later, Charlie, Joey and Ruby were in the throes of packing up their belongings as they prepared to move into their new house. Ruby was five and a half months pregnant and by her own description 'the size of a house'. She tired easily, not to mention became cranky, so she was doing little and often while Charlie and Joey both took time off work to get everything done. Abbey had decided to be helpful and came round after school most days to help them pack. In return, they provided dinner and company. It felt good to spend that time with her and Charlie was very much enjoying getting to know her daughter. She'd taken Joey's advice and started taking the initiative a little more in engaging with Abbey and it seemed to be paying off. That night, when she and Joey were tucked into bed, Charlie turned over to face her partner in the dark.

"Joey?" she began.

"Yes, Charlie?"

"I was thinking..."

"What were you thinking?"

"We have four rooms in our new place. And even with the baby, we only need three of them."

"Uh huh," Joey said, knowing exactly where this was leading.

"Well um, if we asked her, do you think Abbey would want to live with us? I mean, I know the centre's great but I hate thinking of her stuck there away from family. What do you think?"

"I think she'd jump at the chance," Joey replied.

She watched Charlie smile.

"So will you ask her?" Charlie wanted to know.

"Nope."

Charlie's face fell.

"Why not?"

Joey shifted so that she was sitting up.

"Because you're her mother," she said. "Because it was your idea. And because it would mean the world to her if you were the one to ask her."

"What if she says no?" Charlie worried. "She's more likely to say yes if you do it, Joey."

"You both need to stop using me as the middleman, Charlie," Joey said softly.

She pulled her girlfriend into her arms.

"You need to learn to be around each other, to trust each other, to love each other. If you want your little girl to move in with us then you should be able to ask her. And you should realise that when she looks at you, she looks at you with complete adoration. She's shy and she's afraid but she wants to be your child, Charlie. You need to be the one to ask."

Charlie nodded, grateful that she didn't have the type of partner who let her get away with anything. She made her face her fears.

***

The following day after work, Charlie parked outside the youth centre. She noticed and tried to ignore the way a few of the kids tensed at the sight of her uniform. Spotting Abbey making a drink, Charlie headed over. Abbey looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Charlie. I wasn't expecting you. Is everything okay?"

It felt so good to be so natural with her birth mother. Things had developed nicely between them so far. Abbey looked forward to seeing Charlie each day and when their time was over and she was tucked up in bed, she replayed their every interaction over and over in her head. She couldn't help but feel nervous of getting things wrong, of somehow letting Charlie down or pushing her away but she hoped she was being a good girl, everything Charlie would want in a daughter. It felt easier to turn to Joey first sometimes and it was a habit she was trying to break as she'd noticed the sadness in Charlie's eyes when she did it. She didn't mean to hurt her and she got angry with herself each time she realised she had. It was just that Joey was probably her most trusted person, the one she turned to for advice. Being with Charlie was still taking some getting used to and she was shy of showing her vulnerabilities to her in case it led to rejection. She was also afraid of unwittingly revealing some kind of similarity to her biological father. While Abbey and Charlie both wished that her every feature, inside and out came solely from her maternal side, they were both aware that the world didn't work like that. Abbey was terrified of something in her would remind Charlie of him, of that man, and frighten her away.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's great," Charlie said, hoping she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

She smiled and tentatively asked if they could talk.

"Sure," Abbey said. "Would you like to have a cup of tea?"

"That'd be lovely."

Abbey gestured for her to come through the door and sit down in the little kitchen. Charlie did and watched Abbey make drinks for both of them. Coming to sit beside Charlie, the two women studied each other for a few moments. It was something they often did, gazing as if in awe, taking in each other's features, searching for themselves in each other.

"So, what's up?" Abbey asked.

"Well, you know we're moving?"

Charlie blushed.

"Obviously you know we're moving. You've been helping us pack. Stupid Charlie."

The corners of Abbey's mouth twitched into a smile at her mother's little ramble. It was yet another thing she must have got from her. She loved finding familiarity in Charlie and could only hope to turn out to be half as amazing as she was one day. Of course, that wasn't the kind of thought she'd shared with her yet. They spent a lot of time together, they'd learnt a lot about each other but they rarely did the deep and meaningful stuff. Neither felt particularly ready except for the odd conversation here and there. Charlie noticed Abbey's smile and blushed again.

"Anyway, well, there's a room for you if... if you'd like it."

Abbey's eyed widened in surprised.

"I mean, I know this is only temporary and that you're probably going home in a couple of weeks but while you're here, if you wanted to... you'd be welcome to come and live with us... with me, Joey, Ruby and the baby. And if... when..."

She sighed and cast her eyes down.

"When you do go home... if you were planning on visiting, well, it would stay your room. It would you home. With us. If you wanted. And I swear I'm going to stop rambling now and give you a chance to talk."

"You really want me to live with you?" Abbey asked, feeling overwhelmed.

"I would love for you to live with us, Abbey. You're our family."

They smiled at each other shyly.

"And Joey and Ruby wouldn't mind?"

"I talked about it with both of them and they're both more than happy for you to move in. The four... well, five of us, including the baby, can make it our home together," Charlie said. "What do you think?"

"When do you get the keys?" Abbey beamed.

Charlie reached out and held Abbey's hands across the table. She felt shy at the contact but was thrilled when her daughter didn't pull away.

"Saturday," she said. "We're moving in on Saturday."

"Great! Charlie, I'm so touched that you'd ask me to live with you."

"I'm happy that you've accepted."

They continued to hold hands. Charlie felt constantly overwhelmed at every moment they shared like this, moments she never thought she'd get to have, moments she didn't think she deserved.

***

Saturday arrived far too quickly and as they waited for the removal men to come and take all their stuff away, Charlie and Ruby could hardly believe they were moving house. It felt so surreal. When they had first moved to the Bay, they'd lived in a hotel for a little while. Ruby wasn't meant to be staying and Charlie was finding her feet at work whilst throwing a tantrum about her father's relationship with Morag so soon after the death of her mother. When it had transpired that Ruby had got herself expelled from school and was planning on living with Charlie for good, it had been them against the world as usual. They'd needed to find a place to live right at the same time that Leah had been low on funds and needed lodgers. So Charlie and Ruby had moved in. It was strange, the course their lives had taken since the time that they'd arrived. When Charlie had first shown up in town, she hadn't made friends easily. People had tried but every time someone offered her a freebie at the Diner, she thought they were bribing her. She was a hard, focussed cop who didn't want to get close to anyone. Roman had caught her eye immediately though. He'd been handsome and he'd challenged her on her behaviour in a much kinder way than anyone else ever did. She'd kissed him spontaneously. Of course, that had been the typical behaviour of Charlie Buckton since she was a teenager. She'd realised that she couldn't hide from boys forever – not realising then that girls were an option – but she wasn't able to trust anyone enough to be close to them emotionally. So she'd learnt to deal with sex without getting her heart attached. More often than not, her body didn't even stay attached either. On more than one night with a guy she barely knew, Charlie had only ended up in someone's bed because she was desperate to be a normal girl. That's what single girls her own age did. It's what they gossiped about with their friends and she'd wanted to be like them. She wanted to shake her feelings of pain, fear and regret. She wanted to forget about the man who'd abused her since she was a child; she wanted to forget about the baby she'd left behind. The only time a fling such as that had ever meant something to her had been when it had been with Joey. But she hadn't been able to pursue her feelings, search for her happiness because Joey was a woman and her father was dead against such things. So that was how Charlie had lived her life until she'd come to the Bay. Here, she'd hoped that she might be able to settle down a little. It was a small town where everybody knew everybody's business. She'd aimed to be a well respected cop, raise her sister and be with Roman. But it hadn't worked out like that. Roman hadn't liked her enough to make the effort. And Charlie had known early on that she'd liked the idea of Roman more than the man himself. Then Joey had shown up and turned her world upside down. Charlie had been frightened of her past flings coming back to haunt her. Even when the couple had reunited, Charlie had begged her to keep it a secret. She'd been afraid of judgements and they'd nearly broken up over her denial. But they'd worked through it and since then, they'd worked through all their issues together. Charlie had never been in a position where she felt so strong and supported. Even with everything life had thrown at them with Skip and Abbey, Joey's family and Charlie's father, they were getting married and they'd bought a house. They were a family and it was amazing. Looking at Ruby, Charlie's nostalgia grew. Her little sister had changed considerably. She'd arrived a little on the wild side, running around with her boyfriend Pat and then settled once he'd left. At the heart of it, Ruby had always been a good kid and Charlie couldn't help but think she was one of the most mature girls she'd ever known. And she was beautiful. She shone with the glow of pregnancy and Charlie loved to see how excited she was about the impending arrival of her little boy. She'd bought a book of baby names and she was going to be a proud mother. She supposed both Buckton sisters had grown up a lot over the last year.

***

"Wow! This place is huge!" Abbey said, enthralled by the size of the living room.

Charlie grinned at her daughter's enthusiasm for their new home. The removal men worked hard as Charlie, Joey, Ruby and Abbey guided them on where everything went. They didn't have much in the way of communal furniture yet, as much of what had been at home was Leah's but the plan was to go shopping tomorrow to get the rest of the place sorted. For now, it was bedroom furniture and belongings. The previous evening, Charlie, Ruby and Joey had shared a meal with Leah and VJ to say goodbye and tonight, Charlie, Ruby, Joey and Abbey would be indulging in a takeaway to welcome themselves to their new home. They also knew that back at their old place, Leah and VJ would be welcoming Roman and Nicole into their place. While Roman would still technically own his house, he was more than happy to rent to Morag, Ross and Aden who had been living with him anyway.

***

That night, Charlie and Joey tucked themselves away in their new bedroom. They'd taken the largest room, which was on the ground floor. Upstairs, there were two double rooms, one each for Ruby and Abbey and there was a box room that they would get ready for Ruby's baby boy. Tonight though, owning no bed of her own, Abbey was sharing with Ruby. The plan was to get everything Abbey wanted in the morning and Charlie was not so secretly excited to be spending as much money as necessary on her daughter. It was the first time she would be doing something like this for Abbey and she knew she would be walking into the furniture store a very proud parent. Charlie looked around the room which really only had the bed set up. There rest of the place had been filled with boxes and of course, the pole dance pole, which had provoked a lot of curiosity from Abbey, who had only seen it dismantled. Ruby had swiftly told her she was better off not knowing. Taking off her t-shirt, Charlie was glad to be stripping the day off her. It had been positive and good but it had also been tiring. Joey turned to smile at her, beginning to undress as well.

"What?" Charlie asked with the hint of a smile.

"Nothing," Joey said. "I'm just happy. Oh, hey, you've got something right..."

She reached to touch Charlie's breast through the lace of her bra, bending her head to tease her nipple with her tongue.

"... there," she said, standing back up again.

She had a very self-satisfied smile on her face. Charlie smirked.

"Oh, we're playing that game, are we?" she asked.

"Absolutely we are!" Joey said, nodding her head.

"I'd have thought you'd be too tired."

"I have plenty of stamina," Joey assured her. "Plus, the day isn't done yet. We still have to christen this room."

They kissed and fell onto the bed.

***

The first two weeks of living in their new house had been wonderful. Everyone had begun to settle in well, although there was an unhappy awareness that Abbey was due to leave soon. One night, as Charlie was washing dishes, Abbey approached her.

"Charlie?" she said nervously.

Charlie turned and smiled. Abbey stepped up to help dry the plates.

"How would you feel if I um... stayed?"

Charlie dropped the cup she was holding back into the sink with a splash.

"Was that a good splash or a bad splash?" Abbey asked.

"It was a good splash," Charlie said quickly.

She turned to face her.

"Abbey, I'd love you to stay. I'm dreading you going home and leaving me. I feel like we're only just getting to know each other."

"Me too," Abbey said. "I'm not ready to leave you yet. So... so I was thinking that I could stay till the end of the school year. It's a short enough time not to freak my parents out but long enough that we could spend some more time together."

"If that's what you want, Abbey, I'd love to have you here for as long as you want to be."

They smiled at each other sincerely before hugging. Hugs had become more frequent and natural now and they were beginning to feel better and better. Charlie squeezed Abbey to her and Abbey wrapped her arms around Charlie's narrows waist as tightly as she could.

"I love you," Charlie whispered so softly that it almost went unheard.

Almost.


	92. Chapter 92

**Chapter Ninety-Two**

"No luck?" Charlie asked.

Joey shook her head looking glum. She set her phone down on the kitchen table. Since their visit back to her home town, Joey had phoned her mother every morning but for the last few days, she had been unable to get through. The silence meant only one thing in Joey's mind but the difficulty was the uncertainty. If her mother had died, she just wanted to know one way or the other. It was bad enough that she knew she'd never be allowed to go to the funeral. At least she should be allowed to mourn at the proper time. Charlie, standing behind her partner, wrapped her arms around Joey's shoulder and pressed their cheeks together.

"I'm sorry darling," she said.

"I guess the silence speaks volumes," Joey said unhappily.

Charlie hated to admit that Joey was probably right. She thought Joey's father and brother were disgusting if they weren't even going to let the poor woman know that her own mother had died. Charlie came to sit beside her and held both her hands.

"Listen, I know you won't be able to go to the funeral but perhaps we could do something here," she said.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. We could plant a tree or... something. Whatever you want."

Joey smiled.

"That'd be nice," she said.

She stroked Charlie's face.

"Thank you."

***

That evening, Joey was busy preparing dinner. The foursome had been living in their new house for a couple of weeks and everything seemed to be going smoothly. Charlie and Abbey were certainly closer than ever and it was a wonderful thing to see. Abbey had dropped the attitude and seemed keen to accept Charlie as her mother and in return, Charlie had taken wonderfully well to mothering a teenager. Joey supposed she'd had a lot of practice with Ruby. It made her sad to think that plans for their own baby were on long-term hold, which was ironic considering she hadn't even wanted one in the first place. But she did now. Still, she supposed all good things happened in their own time and she and Charlie had a lifetime together. There was no hurry. And anyway, they'd have to move house again if they started trying and they'd only just bought the place. She sang to herself as she stirred her pasta sauce. Ruby and Abbey were in the living room watching television when they were meant to be doing their homework. Charlie was working but she was due any minute. There was a knock at the door.

"Can one of you get that?" Joey called. "I'm up to my eyes in tuna bake!"

In the lounge, Abbey and Ruby looked at each other.

"I'm pregnant," Ruby said, gesturing to her belly.

"You can't keep using that as an excuse to make me do stuff!" Abbey complained, getting to her feet.

"Yes I can," Ruby said to herself, smirking.

"I heard that!" Abbey yelled over her shoulder.

She pulled open the front door and frowned when she saw a stranger standing there. Inwardly however, she was smiling because he was absolutely gorgeous. He towered over her and wore stonewash jeans with a black t-shirt. With bright blue eyes, dark hair and designer stubble, he smiled at her.

"Hi," he said. "Is this Joey Collins' place?"

"Uh... yeah," she said, still staring at him.

"Is she here?"

"Joey!" Abbey bellowed.

In the kitchen, Joey jumped in fright, nearly burning herself on the oven. Closing the door, she headed through the lounge. She stopped when she saw David, her old school friend standing at the entrance to her home.

"David!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

He looked a little nervous. Abbey stared between them as Joey welcomed him inside.

"I uh... I'm not here with good news, I'm afraid," he said sadly.

"Mum died, didn't she?" Joey said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Yeah. Yesterday. I'm sorry, Joey. I spoke to Brett. He told me he had no plans to let you know so I thought I'd come over and tell you."

Joey reached out to hug him.

"Thank you," she said.

Abbey and Ruby stared at them both unashamedly. Drawing away, Joey realised.

"Oh, girls, this is my friend, David. We went to school together. David, this is Charlie's sister, Ruby and her daughter, Abbey."

Both girls waved, feeling shy.

"So this is Summer Bay, hey?" David asked. "No wonder you settled down."

Joey grinned.

"Come and sit down," she said. "We're having dinner in a sec – as soon as Charlie gets home."

"Why's the door open?"

Charlie appeared in her uniform.

"Which is now," Joey chuckled.

"Hey!" Charlie greeted, recognising David from their trip.

"Hi, Charlie. Good to see you again."

"And you," she replied, obviously surprised to see him.

"Make yourself comfortable," Joey said to their new guest.

David shyly perched on the sofa beside Ruby. Abbey moved to sit on the armchair. Charlie followed Joey into the kitchen with a questioning look on her face.

"Mum died," Joey said sadly.

"Oh, Joey, I'm so sorry," Charlie said compassionately.

She pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay. I was expecting it."

"He came here to tell you?"

"Yeah. Sweet, hey?"

"Really sweet."

"Do you mind if I invite him to stay for a few days?"

"No, not at all. He can stay as long as he likes," Charlie said. "It'll be nice to get to know him."

***

Dinner was nice and the girls had all launched into a mini-interrogation of their guest. He'd gracefully answered all their questions, dropping Joey in it with a few naughtier stories here and there which had earned him the odd glare or kick under the table. Of course, the more she reacted, the more he enjoyed himself and so did her family. Once Ruby and Abbey had retired to bed, Charlie had brought out a bottle of wine and she, Joey and David had reclined on the couch to talk.

"So, how did you two meet anyway?"

Charlie and Joey exchanged glances.

"We met in a club in the city," Joey said. "I was a barmaid and she was a customer."

"Don't tell me, your eyes met through hazy vision," David grinned.

"Something like that," Charlie admitted.

"And you've been together ever since?"

"Not exactly," Joey said. "We had a thing..."

"You charmed her into bed, didn't you?" David playfully accused.

"You make me sound like a predator!"

"Your whole mission after you and Claudia split was to have as many one night stands as possible!"

Charlie raised her eyebrows.

"That's not... wait... um... Charlie..."

She glared at David and forced herself not to kick him again.

"Charlie, you know how much that night meant to me."

"I know," Charlie said, putting her arm around her girlfriend.

Joey looked relieved.

"So yeah, we had a thing and then eighteen months later we had another thing and then eighteen months after that we got together for real."

"Aw, that's almost romantic," David teased.

Joey chuckled. She supposed having anonymous sex against the wall of a club wasn't exactly _Romeo and Juliet_. Even when they'd got together properly they'd spent the day teasing each other to high heaven and pushing each other boundaries until Joey had finally won. She remembered telling Charlie that day that they had a different kind of love story. It was an idea that she still liked.

"So, how did you get Joey here to settle down?" David asked Charlie.

"I don't know. I must be good in bed or something," Charlie giggled.

Joey laughed.

"Well, yes, you are amazing in bed," she agreed. "But I think my feelings run a little deeper than that, sweetheart."

She stretched so that she was resting her head in Charlie's lap. David smiled. He never thought he'd see the day when Joey Collins was in a happy, loving relationship, especially not with someone who deserved her.

"I guess when you find someone who makes you smile when you just picture their face or say their name... when you know you love them so much that you'd die for them... well, then of course you'd settle down. You'd be crazy not to. You get given the most perfect woman in the world; you do whatever you can to keep her. And you spend your life being the best that you can be so that you make her happy."

Charlie gazed down, touched by Joey's words and the far away smile on her face.

"I'm rambling," Joey realised. "Sorry."

"You're cute," Charlie said, stroking her hair.

"You've become quite the sap, Collins. I'm quite moved."

Joey grabbed a cushion and threw at him, missing by quite a way.

"Lame," he said. "I'd so fail you if you were in my class."

"Shut up!" Joey pouted. "I'm hardly in good cushion throwing position. I'm in good kissing position though."

She reached up and pulled Charlie closer to kiss her lips.

"Sap!" David remarked.

"Just because you're a bitter, old woman," Joey told him.

"Well, you guys have to take me out while I'm here," David told them. "Maybe I'll meet someone. I never get to play at home."

Joey grinned.

"You're on!"

***

Two days later, Joey, Charlie, Ruby, Abbey and David were standing in a semi-circle in the back garden. After work, Charlie had collected Joey and driven her to the garden centre and they'd bought a small tree in order to plant it in memory of Joey's mother. Joey had then, with the company of her family dug a hole big enough at the end of the garden. As Joey lifted the memoriam into the ground, Charlie, as requested read the Ecclesiastes passage, as requested.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal."

Joey stepped back and took Charlie's hand, closing her eyes and listened to her read.

"A time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stone and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain."

On Charlie's other side, Abbey looked up at her mother, admiring her strength and beauty. She loved the way that she supported Joey, the way the two of them stayed so strong and loving, no matter what they went through. Abbey wished that she could have been part of their lives sooner but she didn't want to dwell on anything she had lost. She was just grateful to have found her family now.

"A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to mend, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."

Ruby squeezed Joey's hand. The older woman took a breath as she prepared to say goodbye to her mother.

"Mum, I didn't know you like I wanted to. And you didn't know me. I wish that I could be at your real funeral to say goodbye to you but as usual, this is all I have and I hope it's enough. I love you so much and I'm so grateful for the last couple of days that you and I were able to spend together. I'm glad you got to meet Charlie and I could never express how touched I was by the proof that you'd loved me all this time without me knowing it."

Joey briefly let go of Charlie and Ruby's hands to wipe her eyes before recapturing them again.

"So I just want to say that I love you, Mum. And I always will. And this tree will always be here to let you know that."

***

"So many hot guys and _none _of them are gay? Really?" David complained.

It was the following evening and Joey had arranged to meet her friend after work at the Surf Club. He had spent much of the time checking Aden out behind the bar and Aden had thoroughly enjoyed the attention, at least from a safe distance.

"As far as I know, nope," Joey confirmed. "Although, Charlie identified as straight when I met her so you never know."

David looked at Aden again.

"You will never turn him," Joey assured him. "And he has a beautiful, wonderful girlfriend so leave him alone."

David frowned and sipped his beer.

"So, who's coming out with us tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Charlie's colleague Watson and her girlfriend, Star, who's a mate of mine from when I was working in a strip club."

"You worked in a strip club?"

"I wasn't a stripper."

"What were you?"

"I served cocktails."

"You really do get around, lady," he grinned.

"Anyway," Joey said, moving them on. "I think a couple of her other colleagues are coming too – Jack and Angelo."

"Are they hot?"

"I guess so."

"Turnable?"

"Jack's married. And Angelo is possibly the straightest guy in the world."

David frowned.

"Dave, we're going to a gay bar. I doubt you'll have any problems."

He grinned, cheerful again.

"Can we invite your mate?" he asked.

"I already have. He's working."

David sighed.

"You know, I really like this place," he said. "I've got half a mind to pack up and move here myself."

"Really?" Joey said. "Because that would be awesome."

"I'm really thinking about it, Jo. I've had such a good time with you. I hadn't realised how much I'd been missing you until I saw you again."

Joey smiled and sipped her wine.

"And it's so good to see you so happy," he added. "When I knew you, like before you left home, you were so messed up."

"Thanks!"

"Come on, you know I'm right."

"I know."

"You were hurting over Claudia and you swore you'd never let anyone into your heart. You were just going to fuck and run and not get close to people. And that's what you did. For as long as we stayed in touch, that's all I ever knew you to do – have flings and one night stands, never get close to anyone. And then this Charlie, she stole your heart completely, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did."

"And she deserves to be the one. She loves you so much."

Joey felt like an idiot but she couldn't stop smiling.

"You can tell just by the way she looks at you. She absolutely adores you. I'm so happy you've found someone that you love so much who completely deserves you. I was always afraid that you'd end up with someone who'd treat you badly."

"I nearly did. A lot," Joey admitted.

David nodded.

***

Friday night rolled around and Charlie and Joey were getting ready together in their bedroom. Jack had originally declined her invitation but Martha had found the prospect of going gay clubbing rather enthralling and so he'd agreed. Angelo had reluctantly decided to tag along and Watson and Star had accepted immediately. Charlie and Joey had cautiously agreed to let Ruby and Abbey host a movie night with Xavier, Nicole, Geoff, Annie and Jai. Charlie perused her wardrobe, wearing only a towel, wondering what outfit to choose. Joey snaked her arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. Charlie smiled.

"Charlie..."

The police officer raised her eyebrows. She knew that tone far too well.

"I have a gift for you," Joey said.

Charlie turned round and Joey stepped back. Her cheeky smile matched her tone.

"Well, it's kind of a gift for both of us," she added.

"And what might this gift be?" Charlie asked.

Joey, who was already half dressed in cream army trousers, moved to her bag and dug around inside it. Grinning, she presented Charlie with a small, white carrier bag. The couple sat side by side on the end of their queen size bed. Charlie peered at Joey and then peered inside the bag. She pulled the item out.

"You bought me a thong?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows, certain that their must be a catch of some kind.

"I bought you a special thong," Joey corrected.

"Explain."

Joey took the item from her and showed her the inside.

"See, inside is a powerful little vibrator," she said with a wicked grin.

Charlie looked a little startled.

"And it's controlled by..."

Joey delved back into the bag and pulled out a tiny little contraption with a button.

"This!" she announced proudly. "Which I can put in my pocket. And it means that I can turn you on all night tonight without even needing to touch you."

She pressed the button. The vibrator buzzed in her hands. Charlie laughed.

"You expect me to wear this at the club tonight?" she asked.

Joey leant in close and kissed her.

"I think it would be really, really hot," she said.

She kissed her again, parting her lips with her tongue. She slipped the thong into Charlie's hands. She pressed the button, making Charlie giggle.

"I could be sitting all the way across the table and make you tingle," Joey said. "Or we could be dancing and I could set you off. And nobody would know."

They kissed a little harder.

"So, will you wear it?" Joey asked when they parted.

"Mmm... okay," Charlie agreed.

Joey guided her back onto the bed and removed her towel.

"Or we could skip going out and just stay here," she murmured, casting her eyes over Charlie's body.

"I think David might have a problem with that," Charlie pointed out.

Joey kissed her lips, her neck and her collarbone. She moved a little further down and kissed each breast, gently sucking each nipple into her mouth. Charlie squirmed beneath her; suddenly feeling like staying in was a good idea. Sliding further down Charlie's body, Joey kissed her toned tummy and then the inside of each leg. She ran her tongue along her centre just once before pulling her to her feet.

"No fair!" Charlie protested.

"This is going to be an excruciating night of foreplay," Joey promised, pulling their bodies close together.

She knelt on the floor and helped Charlie into her new underwear, taking pleasure in ensuring that the vibrator was in exactly the right spot, pressing her fingers in close. Then she stood back to admire how Charlie looked. She looked good. Taking up the control, she pushed the button. Charlie shuddered and sucked in her breath.

"It's definitely in the right place," she said, almost accusingly.

Joey grinned.

"Let the games begin," she said.


	93. Chapter 93

_With all the stress of Interwoven, I thought I'd lighten the mood in Third Time's a Charm... Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Ninety-Three**

"Okay, boys and girls, you make sure you behave yourselves, alright?" Charlie said.

She, Joey and David stood side by side. Abbey, Ruby, Xavier, Jai, Geoff and Annie were already parked on the couch ready for their DVD fest.

"We will," Ruby said dismissively.

"Make sure you're not up too..."

Joey pressed the button. Charlie shuddered.

"Late," she finished, biting her lip and marvelling at the irony of telling her daughter and sister to behave at the same time as Joey was teasing her remotely with a vibrator.

"Curfew. Midnight. We've got it," Abbey promised.

Charlie was grateful that nobody had noticed her indiscretion. She didn't dare look at Joey. A car horn outside told them that their taxi had arrived.

"Okay, we'll see you later," Joey said.

"Be good!" Charlie added, following David to the door.

Joey couldn't resist buzzing Charlie again, surprising her so much that she gave a little shriek and skip.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, just excited about clubbing!" Charlie called back. "It's been a while! Be good!"

Joey couldn't stop grinning. This was definitely going to be a fun night.

***

In the cab, Charlie held Joey's hand in a vicelike grip, silently warning her not to play games. They and David were taking a cab with Angelo and meeting Martha, Jack, Watson and Star at the venue. Both girls had noticed the obviously lusty way that David was looking at Angelo and it made them laugh. Joey attempted to sneak her hand into her pocket, desperate to play with the button that would tease Charlie but her girlfriend caught her and held her fast. Joey leant into her.

"Why can't I?" she asked quietly.

"Because I haven't controlled my reactions yet," Charlie told her. "It'd be completely obvious."

Joey pouted. Charlie kissed her. It immediately developed. David rolled his eyes.

"Do they do this all the time?" he asked Angelo.

The policeman was grinning as he watched.

"Yes," he said. "Yes, they do."

David rolled his eyes again. Joey felt Charlie's tongue probing her mouth and her hands tousling her hair. Taking the moment, Joey reached into her pocket. She held onto the button for several seconds and felt Charlie jerk against her. Charlie crushed her lips against Joey's,

"You are in so much trouble later," she warned.

"I look forward to it."

***

The music was loud when the group of eight arrived. Paying their entry fee, they shuffled inside the crowded club. Star spotted a couple of vacant couches across from the entrances and tugged on Watson's arm. They led the others over to them. Angelo was torn between feeling fascinated by the lesbians and anxious about the gay men. He decided to get the first round in and dragged Jack up to assist.

"I haven't been dancing in the longest time," Martha said.

She was glad to have been invited out. It was a group she'd become comfortable with. Charlie and Joey were already good friends of hers and she knew Angelo well through Jack. Watson was the person she wasn't as close to as the others but she'd bonded with Star over her occupation. She'd brought back the better memories of her pole dancing days and while it was something she never ever wanted to go back to, it hadn't all been bad. And Star represented the good side.

"Me neither," Charlie said.

Everything had been so heavy recently. It felt good to kick back and let loose for the night.

"Tonight's going to be lots of fun," Joey decided.

Charlie caught the twinkle in her eye and then jolted when she received a vibration between her legs. Joey's grin became more wicked.

***

The night continued and Martha was having a wonderful time. She was thrilled to find her husband completely letting his hair down. He hadn't stopped dancing and laughing all night. Beside her, Watson couldn't stop smiling. It was the most amazing feeling in the world to be dating a beautiful woman who was proud to be seen with her. Gone were her days of loneliness or her days or worshipping the likes of Davina. Now she knew she was with the right woman, a woman who loved her and appreciated her; a woman who made her feel special. Angelo was having a good time. He was a little startled to find that he was good man candy. At first it had freaked him out to have men buying him drinks and dancing with him and he'd complained to Charlie and considered going home. Then, after a quick re-think, he'd realised that aside from the first round, he hadn't had to dig into his pocket all night and dancing and flirting, even if it was with men he wasn't interested in, was actually quite entertaining. David was one of the men he'd been strutting his stuff for, although he'd quickly figured out that Angelo was just playing games so he'd been looking round for some other attractive guy. In each others arms, Charlie and Joey were enjoying the music, each other and their secret little device. Standing behind Charlie, Joey wrapped her arms around her waist as they dance. She nuzzled into her neck and kissed her. She enjoyed the little surprised looked Charlie gave each time she played with her, followed by a look of desire. She reached into her pocket and pressed the button for a prolonged period of time. She felt Charlie react against her. As thrills raced through her body, Charlie reached round and pulled Joey's pelvis closer. Joey nuzzled in closer, kissing her jaw.

"Tell me what you're feeling," Joey said into her ear.

"Like I'm going to explode," Charlie replied.

Joey buzzed again. Charlie groaned as her centre throbbed.

"Did that help?" Joey asked innocently.

"What the hell do you think?" Charlie growled.

She turned round in Joey's embrace and kissed her passionately. Their tongues began to play and Charlie shuddered as Joey toyed with her again.

"Mmm... when exactly are we going home?"

"At the end of the night."

"And when will that be? Because I really don't think I can take this much longer."

Joey had been merciless all night. Charlie felt like she was on fire. Taking her hand, Joey led her through the crowd, pushing her gently against a pillar off to the side of a dance floor.

"What are you...?"

Surrounded by oblivious people, Joey kissed her and pushed the button. Charlie groaned loudly, grateful for the pulsating beat of the music all around them. She and Joey kissed hungrily. Joey used one hand to control the buzzer and the other to roam Charlie's body, playing with her breasts over her top.

"Is it really wrong that I'm enjoying doing this to you in front of all these people without them knowing about it?" Joey murmured into their kiss.

"Is it wrong that that's half the turn on for me too?" Charlie gasped as the sensations thundering through her body threatened to overtake her.

Joey grinned and kissed her harder. Charlie hooked one leg around Joey's hip. Joey thrust her thigh between Charlie's legs, pushing the vibrating thong closer against Charlie's core. It was enough to push her over the edge.

***

"Hey, where have you guys been?" Angelo asked when Charlie and Joey arrived back looking a little flustered.

"Oh, we were dancing under the air conditioning," Joey explained, keeping hold of Charlie's hand.

He eyed them curiously. They hadn't sloped off to the bathroom as far as he could tell. That was their usual destination when they went out but they'd gone in the opposite direction.

"Well, I'm going to take a break," he said, heading back to the couch.

"Me too," Charlie said, exhausted from hers and Joey's activities.

The others all agreed and the group of eight followed where Angelo led. Jack headed up to the bar with Martha for more drinks. As soon as Charlie sat down, she jolted. Joey was at it again.

"Are you alright there?" Watson asked.

"I'm fine," Charlie lied.

She turned to glare at Joey who feigned innocence.

"What are you doing?" Charlie hissed.

"Round two," Joey replied as if it was obvious.


	94. Chapter 94

_After the heaviness of _Interwoven _and _The Waiting Game_, I thought you deserved something much lighter! Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Ninety-Four**

Charlie and Joey fell through the door, their lips crushed together. Charlie kicked the door shut, not bothering to double lock it and nudged Joey backwards.

"Next time I get to control the button," she growled.

Round two had driven her as crazy as round one but with no satisfying climax. She was fit to burst.

"I'll have to think about it," Joey said, kissing Charlie harder.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted them. Joey spun round and Charlie looked up to find a group of teenagers eyeing them curiously. Both women flushed.

"What's this button?" Ruby grinned.

"It's two a.m.!" Charlie snapped. "Your curfew was midnight."

"Charlie, you've been caught in a very naughty clinch," Ruby pointed out. "I don't think you're in a position to criticise."

Joey nudged her girlfriend. Charlie quickly did up her shirt.

"You can leave it open!" Xavier said cheekily.

"That's my sister!" Ruby objected.

"And my Mum!" Abbey added.

Charlie felt silently proud at her daughter's defence.

"Sorry," Xavier pouted. "But I'm not the only guy in here that thought that."

He looked at Jai and Geoff who both suddenly found their hands very interesting. Charlie shook her head.

"Anyway, it's two in the morning," she said. "You're all meant to be at home in bed."

"Like you two?" Ruby smirked.

Charlie turned pink as the rabble began to get up and head towards the door.

"Where's David anyway?" Abbey asked.

"Um... he, uh..." Joey struggled.

"He's getting laid," Ruby said bluntly before kissing her boyfriend goodbye.

Abbey flushed. Charlie turned even pinker. Sometimes she forgot how innocent her child was. Ruby was only a year older and yet she was far less naive than Abbey was.

"Well, goodnight then," Abbey said shyly.

Charlie and Joey said goodnight. Ruby turned to face them. She shook her head.

"You two are terrible," she said, skipping off to bed herself.

"That was embarrassing," Charlie declared.

"Let me help you recover," Joey said, leading the way to the bedroom and buzzing her on the way.

Once the door was safely shut, they sank into each other's arms, kissing as passionately as they had before they'd been interrupted. Charlie forgot all about her humiliation and let Joey guide her down onto the bed. She giggled when Joey began to tease her by pressing the button again and again. Drawing Joey into her arms, she wrestled the button from her hand and tossed it on the floor. Tearing into Joey's clothes, she kissed her lips fervently, craving more and more of her lover. Joey undid Charlie's buttons again, tracing her fingers over Charlie's bra, teasing her through the material and lowering her mouth so that she could play. Charlie gasped and writhed beneath her, hooking her legs around Joey's hips and pulling her closer. Suddenly releasing her, Charlie flipped them over so that she was on top. Joey giggled in surprise. Charlie pinned her hands above her head and kissed her possessively.

"Now it's my turn," she said.

***

Fifteen minutes later, Joey had been stripped down to her own, non-vibrating thong and handcuffed to the bed. Charlie kissed her way down Joey's excited body, pausing to capturing each erect nipple in her mouth briefly before continuing down.

"You're really going to pay me back, aren't you?" Joey realised.

"Uh huh," Charlie replied simply as she teased her tongue down Joey's torso, reaching the top of her underwear.

Nudging herself further down the bed, she removed the last item of Joey's clothing and smiled at the beautiful sight before her.

"You really are amazing, do you know that?"

Joey's excitement grew as she caught the hunger in Charlie's eyes. Charlie ran her fingertips up and down Joey's restrained body. Then she stood up, checked she was decent and left the room.

"Charlie!" Joey squeaked.

Joey wriggled, attempting to get out of the cuffs but being that they were traditionally used for hardened criminals, she knew it was a pointless exercise. She breathed a sigh of relief when Charlie reappeared with a devilish grin.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Joey protested.

From behind her back, Charlie produced a can of squirty cream and a punnet of strawberries.

"In case we get hungry," she said.

She moved to place them on the bedside table. Joey watched intently as Charlie stripped off and came to lie half on top of her. The kissed tenderly.

"So, does this count as round three do you think?"

***

As the night went on, Joey felt like her body was on fire. Still handcuffed to the bed, Charlie was playing with her delightfully sensuously and slowly. Using the cream, she'd massaged her breasts with her tongue until her whole body was tingling and her excitement was increasing by the second. She'd fed her strawberries and shared the cream with her, never granting her freedom. Slipping down between her legs, Charlie kissed her, thrilled with Joey's obvious responses. She used her fingertips and tongue to toy with her, never quite giving her what she wanted. Joey arched her back and thrust her hips to meet her, aching for more contact. Charlie just smiled and continued to tease her, more than delighted to pay her back for the torture that she'd been provided with at the club. Using her tongue, Charlie built up a rhythm. Feeling Joey respond, she drew back.

"Hey!" Joey protested. "No fair!"

Charlie sat up and smiled wickedly. Joey pouted. Charlie kissed her way back up Joey's body. She rested on her left elbow and used her right hand to tease Joey's nipple.

"Is it less fair than what you got up to in the club tonight?" she asked.

Joey considered her answer. She put her lips together, asking for a kiss instead. Smiling, Charlie lowered her mouth and gave her what she wanted. As she did so, she let her hand drift down between Joey's thighs and slipped inside her. Joey cautiously rocked against her. Charlie gazed into Joey's face, enjoying her pleasure and finally decided to keep it going. Using her thumb to massage Joey's bundle of nerves, she continued to penetrate her with her fingers and kissed her tenderly as she reached climax. Finally spent, Joey relaxed against the pillow. Charlie brushed her hair from her face and began kissing her breasts.

"You are the biggest tease in the world," Joey accused.

"Bigger than you?" Charlie asked between kisses. "I don't think so."

"I guess we match each other pretty well."

Charlie captured her mouth again and then with a dramatic sigh, moved to undo the handcuffs. When she couldn't quite reach, she shifted so that she was kneeling over her partner. As soon as Joey was released, she made a grab for Charlie's hips and pulled her down so that her sweet centre was in line with her mouth. Surprised, Charlie grabbed onto the headboard, gasping while Joey began to deliver her own kind of pleasure. They were on round four. It was going to be a long night.


	95. Chapter 95

**Chapter Ninety-Five**

Charlie woke up with the sun peeping in through the curtains and Joey sprawled on top of her. Pinned to the bed by her girlfriend's weight, Charlie craned her neck to peer at the clock. It was nearly midday.

"Oops," she said to herself.

Attempting to shift, she realised that she was firmly held in place. Her mind flashed back to the last thing she and Joey had got up to before they'd finally fallen asleep as the sun was coming up. Gently, she stroked Joey's face, wanting to wake her kindly.

"Joey," she whispered. "Sweetheart, I can't move."

Joey grumbled and buried her head into Charlie's neck, clearly not wanting to wake.

"Joey..." Charlie tried again.

Finally Joey began to blink. She met Charlie's gaze and the two women grinned at each other as memories from their night came flooding back to them.

"I need to get up," Charlie told her.

Joey moved.

"Gently!" Charlie squawked.

Joey frowned, upset at the prospect of hurting Charlie and confused by how she had done so.

"Think about what we did before we went to sleep," Charlie instructed.

"Oh!"

Joey gently removed herself from Charlie and rolled onto her back, undoing the harness and appendage she'd apparently worn all night. No wonder her hips were aching. Charlie emerged from the bed, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" Joey asked worriedly

"Uh huh. Let's just go to sleep after we've put the toys away in future rather than when they're still practically in motion!"

She grinned to show that she was perfectly fine and leant over the bed to kiss Joey good morning. Joey seized the opportunity to pull Charlie into her arms, making her laugh.

***

"Did you have a good night?" Ruby teased as soon as Charlie got to the kitchen to make two very strong coffees.

"Wonderful, thank you," Charlie said, ignoring the obvious innuendo. "Now, about your curfew."

"We were worried about you!" Ruby protested. "And like a good sister and daughter, we were waiting for you to get home safely."

"Do you think I was born yesterday?"

"Not judging by the circles around your eyes!"

Charlie let her mouth hang open in pure offence.

"No sleep?" Ruby asked.

"Not much," Charlie countered. "Do you want details?"

"Ugh! No thank you!"

Ruby covered her ears in horror and then clutched at her tummy as if to protect the baby from hearing anything horrific.

"Well, stop teasing me then," Charlie said. "Joey and I were just relaxing after a stressful few weeks."

"And I'm sure you relaxed multiple times!" Ruby giggled, getting to her feet.

"And in a variety of creative ways!" Charlie yelled after her.

"La, la, la, I'm not listening!" was all she could hear in response as her sister hurried away.

Once the drinks were made, Charlie took them back to bed. Joey was still sprawled out against the pillows and the room was a mess. With the curtains still drawn, the bed was untidy. Charlie's hand cuffs were still hooked to the headboard, the empty box of strawberries was on the bedside table with the can of squirty cream having fallen onto the floor, rolling towards the underside of the bed. Clothes, including the vibrating thong littered the floor and the button that controlled it had been flung halfway across the room. Joey had dumped the strap on onto the floor beside the cream, harness and all, a blindfold was hooked around the end bedpost and a vibrator stood on Charlie's bedside table alongside a bowl of water, which had originally been ice cubes.

"Coffee," Charlie announced.

"You're perfect," Joey informed her, accepting the drink.

"What time did we actually fall asleep last night?"

"I think it was about eight. This morning."

Charlie curled up against Joey naked chest, careful that neither of them spilled their drinks.

"I'm pretty proud," she said.

"Me too. We should do that again. And again. And again."

"Next time you can wear the vibrating thong," Charlie remarked.

Joey snorted and kissed the top of Charlie's head.

"Didn't you enjoy it?" she asked.

"I loved every excruciating minute of it."

"And besides, I think you successfully got your revenge," Joey said.

Wonderful images flashed into Charlie's mind. Revenge had definitely been sweet.

"Kind of reminds me of that weekend we had," Charlie mused.

"Because of the handcuffs?" Joey asked, grinning wickedly.

This time it was Charlie's turn to snort. She also blushed.

"I was just thinking about how we couldn't get enough of each other," she said. "Every moment we got we were all over each other."

Joey smiled. Their second ever meeting had certainly been amazing. She'd been elated at finding Charlie again and while she'd known then that it was only a one time thing, it didn't put her off. She'd been determined to spend as much wonderful time with the trainee cop as she possibly could. Who could have known what it would lead to?

"It was definitely something I'll never forget," Joey agreed. "I spent that whole time swapping shifts with my friends so that I could spend time with you. Oh, and bargaining to get that tape destroyed!"

"Tape?" Charlie asked, peering at her girlfriend.

"Charlie, we had sex on the bar of the hotel," Joey said flatly. "Do you not think there were security cameras trained on us?"

Charlie looked horrified.

"I didn't think about it!" she said.

"Don't worry, I got the tape off the security guy. I can't guarantee that that he didn't watch the whole thing several times but I got it in the end."

"And you destroyed it?"

"Uh huh," Joey said vaguely.

Charlie turned to look into her eyes.

"Might have kept it," Joey admitted.

"Joey!"

"Well, it was my lasting memory of you! Love bites fade, you know."

Charlie shook her head.

"You actually have a video tape of us having sex?"

"It's not very good quality."

Charlie raised her eyebrows.

"I mean, I never watched it!"

Joey grinned. Charlie kissed her.

"Have you still got it?"

"Yep. Why? Do you want to watch it?" Joey asked curiously.

"Only because it's there. And it might be nice to relive the memory with you."

"It's a pretty good memory."

They kissed again.

"Hey, you don't think there's a tape of us the first time, do you?"

"I honestly have no idea," Joey said. "I didn't think about it then. I never got in trouble for sleeping with a customer on shift so... let's hope not!"

"We really have had some good times, haven't we?" Charlie mused.

"With many more to come," Joey added.

***

Abbey and Ruby went for a walk along the beach.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked. "You're pretty quiet."

"Yeah, I guess I'm still adjusting to everything," Abbey said.

They sat down on the sand and looked out to sea.

"I have a young mother," Abbey said. "It's weird. My whole life I thought my mother was this woman who worked and did the groceries and had lunch with her friends. She likes reality TV and calls clubs 'discos'. And now I have this young, pretty mother, barely in her late twenties who has this vibrant life. She fights crime and has a tonne of energy. She's funny and smart and... well, she um..."

"Has a sex life?"

"Yeah," Abbey said quietly. "Mum and Dad blush if I see them pecking each other on the lips."

"I guess they take a little getting used to," Ruby reasoned.

"Don't get me wrong, I love living in such a happy home. And they're so in love. It's nice. But yeah, it can be a little hard to get my head around. I'm trying to get to know Charlie as my Mum and trying to get to know her as a person as well. It can get a bit confusing!"

"Really the best thing you can do is keep communicating with her," Ruby said. "She loves you. And she wants the kind of relationship with you where you can talk to her about anything."

***

Towards the evening, Charlie and Joey finally sprung back to life and David arrived home in time for dinner. Ruby and Abbey had returned from their afternoon stroll and the family sat down to eat together.

"So, did you have a good night last night?" David asked Joey and Charlie, tucking into his meal.

Ruby giggled. Charlie kicked her under the table.

"Hey!" her little sister protested. "You can't kick a pregnant woman!"

"I can kick a smart arse kid sister," Charlie warned.

"It's not my fault you two gave me something to be a smart arse about," Ruby shot back.

She turned back to David.

"They were at it until all hours."

Joey choked on her food and hurriedly gulped some water down.

"So was I," David said with a wink.

Abbey turned pink.

"Can we perhaps not discuss this at the dinner table?" Charlie said, feeling motherly and protective.

"I don't mind," Abbey said. "You don't need to censor your discussion for me."

Charlie smiled at her.

"The less we talk about any of our sex lives the better," she confirmed.

***

The following week, David had gone home, although he'd vowed to return quickly. Once the teaching year was though, he wanted to move to Summer Bay for good to be near Joey and her family, feel liberated and start his life over. Joey could hardly wait and Charlie was pleased too. Aden had made Joey promise that no exciting gay boy would take his place. With Aden firmly chosen as Joey's best man, Charlie had begun musing over bridesmaids. Ruby had been the obvious choice, although the teenager was cranky at not being able to measure for her dress until after the baby was born. Still, it was only three months away now. For a second bridesmaid, Charlie was nervously trying to pluck up the courage to ask Abbey. She couldn't think of a more perfect way to celebrate her marriage than having her sister and daughter walk up the aisle with her. Arriving home from work, she found her round little sister balancing a glass of water on her tummy and giggling. Chuckling, Charlie sat down next to her.

"I see you've had a productive day," she said.

"I had to leave school early," Ruby sighed. "I had terribly _wind._"

She whispered the last word and blushed.

"It was awful. I just couldn't stay."

Charlie ruffled her hair.

"But I've been looked up baby names."

"Oh?"

"I was thinking Joseph."

Charlie grinned.

"And Charles for a middle name."

"That's impossibly cute," Charlie chuckled.

"He sounds like little royalty – Joseph Charles Buckton!"

"He does."

"And we could call him Joe for short. If he wants. Maybe not. I like Joseph."

"Joseph's nice."

"Dad will have a fit," Ruby realised. "Naming my baby after Joey."

"Definitely Joseph," Charlie said wickedly.

They both looked up when Abbey entered the house looking exhausted. She slung her bag on the floor and heaved herself into a chair.

"You missed a thrilling afternoon," she complained. "The fire alarm went off no less than three times because a bunch of kids thought it was funny. I think I'd actually rather have been in lessons!"

"I've been choosing baby names," Ruby told her.

"You're naming Bump?"

It was how she'd come to affectionately refer to her future cousin.

"Yep. Bump is going to become Joseph Charles Buckton."

"That is impossibly cute!" Abbey declared.

Charlie and Ruby burst out laughing.

"What?" Abbey asked in wonder. "What did I say?"  
"Exactly the same thing I said when she told me," Charlie explained.

Abbey blushed and then beamed at her mother. She loved finding little moments in common with her. It felt like they were getting closer every day.

"Hey, Abbey?" Charlie ventured, feeling that right now was as good a time as any.

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to be my bridesmaid?"

Charlie had planned on some kind of lead up but none had come out. The question had burst forth from her mouth without introduction. Abbey just stared at her.

"With Ruby," Charlie clarified. "At the wedding. My wedding. To Joey. In February."

She silently cursed herself for explaining too much.

"Charlie, I think she knows when you're getting married."

Charlie blushed. Abbey smiled.

"I'd love to be your bridesmaid," she said. "Thank you for asking me."


	96. Chapter 96

**Chapter Ninety-Six**

As the weeks continued, Charlie and Joey focussed on each other, their family and preparations for the arrival of Joseph Charles, ignoring the impending court case as much as they could. Morag had agreed to act as their lawyer against Skip and they were desperate to get her sent down. All the while she had been languishing in jail awaiting trial, they had felt safe but knowing that this was make or break time was hard to handle. In a matter of days, a guilty woman could either be sent down or set free. And regardless of the outcome, both Charlie and Joey had to stand up in court and go through all the fine details of all the pain she had caused them. Neither was looking forward to it. Going through it in private meetings with Morag distressed them, let alone in court with people who weren't on their side. The day before the trial was due to start, Charlie, Joey, Abbey and Ruby were having breakfast together.

"So, will you just write a note for us or something?" Ruby asked, munching on her fourth slice of toast.

"For what?" Charlie asked, looking a little startled.

"So that we can get out of school."

Ruby and Abbey looked at Charlie like she was dumb.

"Why on earth would I write you a note to let you out of school?"

"So we can support you at the trial," Ruby said, continuing to stare as if her big sister were an idiot.

"You're not coming," Charlie and Joey said in unison.

Both girls started to protest.

"Nor are you," they said to Abbey who looked crestfallen.

"Why?" Abbey asked.

"And like hell I'm not coming!" Ruby argued.

"You're not coming," Charlie said seriously.

"We want to support you," Abbey said earnestly.

"We understand that and we appreciate it but you're not coming," Joey said.

"We are so coming," Ruby said confidently.

Joey shoved another slice of toast into Ruby's mouth.

"Just eat," she said. "Don't argue."

"Hey!" Ruby said, spraying crumbs onto the table. "You can't stop us from coming."

"Want to bet?" Charlie challenged.

"Charlie Buckton, that bitch nearly took you away from me," Ruby ranted. "I want to see her being sent to prison. Forever."

"Ruby, I don't want you there. And I don't want you there either, Abbey."

Both girls looked hurt. Charlie glanced at Joey and sighed.

"We're not being unkind," she said.

"Really?" Abbey snapped. "It sounds like you are."

"Yep," Ruby agreed. "I feel hurt. Don't you feel hurt, Abbey?"

"I feel hurt. And a little rejected. How about you?"  
"I feel rejected also."

Both teenagers glared at their elders.

"We appreciate your support," Joey said evenly. "And it's not that we don't want you there. It's just that we don't..."

"Want us there?" Abbey said, still glaring.

"Ruby, Abbey," Charlie pleaded. "When we go to court, we're going to have to go through exactly what happened in minute detail. It's not going to be some walk through the park. It's not going to be easy. Joey and I don't even want to go. And we don't want to drag you through it. Please just be there waiting for us at home, support us and love us without putting yourselves through the details. We don't want you to know everything we went through."

"I still don't know what really happened," Ruby realised.

"And I hardly have a clue," Abbey pointed out.

"And that's the way we'd like for it to stay," Joey said firmly.

"So, you want us to hear it from Colleen when she comes back from sitting in the public gallery?" Ruby asked.

Charlie sighed and rubbed her temples. What had happened to her with Skip was the joint worst thing that had ever happened to her in her entire life and she didn't want her daughter and sister to have to sit and listen to the gory details.

"Please," she softly. "You know the basics. You know it was bad. Please leave it at that. You don't need to witness me being dragged around by the defence and you don't need to hear Morag make me talk about the physical and emotional trauma of what was done. I just want to get this over with and move on. Please?"

***

The following day, dressed in suits and looking smart, Charlie and Joey arrived at court with Morag, preparing to face Skip and her defence lawyer. Charlie was set to take the stand first and she felt sick just thinking about it. Outside in the hallway, Joey kissed her and went with Ross to sit in the public gallery. Already seated were Colleen, Irene, Aden, Belle, Leah, Martha, Jack and Angelo. Charlie, as the central witness for the prosecution took her seat beside her lawyer, still feeling unwell. With nearly everyone seated, she looked up when she heard movement across the other side of the court. Skip entered with her own lawyer. She never met Charlie's gaze as she sat down. In the gallery, Joey finally tore her eyes away from Skip when she heard the door open. She clenched her jaw when she saw Ruby and Abbey enter.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" she hissed.

"We needed to be supportive," Ruby told her.

Everyone shuffled along as Joey yanked them down to sit beside her. Abbey smiled shyly at the grandfather she had only met on a couple of occasions. He smiled back.

"Charlie and I told you not to come," Joey said, glancing nervously down at the back of her girlfriend's head.

She was talking to Morag and hadn't heard the shuffling and whispering going on behind her.

"Joey, we know you want to protect us but you can't," Ruby said reasonably. "We love you. I'm Charlie's sister and Abbey is her daughter and we need to be here. She was nearly taken away from us and we want to know how and why. We want to be here to support her and show her that we love her. That night... that night when she nearly died – I thought I was going to die. I've never been so scared in my whole life. You can't take away the moment when that woman will get what she deserves for what she did to my sister. You can't."

"And if whatever her name is, had succeeded, I would never have even known who Charlie was. I would never have come to know her and love her like I do. We wouldn't have a relationship. I would have spent my whole life without her. That woman, she nearly took her away from me. Charlie's my Mum and I need to support her."

Joey frowned, hating how convincing they were. She turned to look at Ross who just shrugged, obviously allowing her to make whatever decision she chose.

"This trial is going to feel like hell," she warned the teenagers. "What happened to Charlie... it... it was hell. You're going to hurt when you hear about it. You need to be prepared for that. But if you need to stay, I won't force you out."

***

It had been a long afternoon of both lawyers setting out their cases to the judge and the jury. Morag had firmly stated that the defendant had abducted her client, assaulted her and intended to leave her for dead in the woods. She had purposely hidden and misled those attempting to find her in order to keep them from rescuing her and Charlie's life had very nearly come to an end. If it hadn't been for the actions of her partner, she never would have survived the ordeal. Morag had gone on to outline Charlie's injuries and the length of time in which they had taken to heal and the physical and emotional trauma she had suffered. She had explained a brief history of Skip's obsession with Joey and how it had led her to attack Charlie. When Skip's brief had risen, claiming provocation and extreme stress, denying various parts of the story that would get her client into the most amount of trouble.

***

At lunch time, Charlie was furious to find Ruby and Abbey present but like Joey, had no choice but to accept their reasoning and determination to be there. She was worried about them hearing the details and she wanted to protect them from it – especially Abbey – but they were both adamant to be staying.

"We're up," Morag said.

Charlie took a deep breath and hugged her father, sister, daughter and girlfriend as she prepared to give evidence.


	97. Chapter 97

_The next few chapters will be heavyish as we're dealing with the trial but I with throw in as many nice bits as I can. And after the trial is done, we have plenty of lovely things to come! IJKS xx_

***

**Chapter Ninety-Seven**

Charlie nervously sat on the stand, ready to tell the court and unfortunately, her father, sister and daughter exactly what had happened to her. After swearing to tell the truth, Charlie took a deep breath and watched Morag approach her.

"Miss Buckton, could you please walk us through the first time you met the defendant, Jennifer Tudor?" she asked.

Charlie nodded.

"She was a mugging victim. I'm a police officer so I got called out to help her. At the time, I didn't realise who she was because I'd only heard of her being referred to by her nickname."

"So, you knew of Miss Tudor before you met her?"

"Yes," Charlie said. "My partner, Joey... um, Joanne Collins, she was very distressed because Miss Tudor had been harassing her for some time."

Skip glared at Charlie, clenching her jaw.

"Could you tell the court about that, please?" Morag asked.

"Joey had told me that she left her previous home and moved to Summer Bay because Skip... Miss Tudor wouldn't leave her alone. Joey had tried to explain repeatedly that she wasn't interested but Miss Tudor had an obsession with her. Joey was terrified of her showing up, especially when she started sending letters."

"Ah, yes, the letters."

She summoned a copy of each letter and read them out to the jury.

"Did you think Miss Tudor was dangerous?"

"I didn't know. Joey was very anxious though so I tried to take care of her as best I could. I was unnerved after I realised who our mugging victim was because she'd told us that her bag contained pictures of her girlfriend. When we managed to retrieve it, the bag was full of photos of Joey – most of which didn't look like she was aware were being taken."

Morag instructed a steward to hand the photographs round to the judge and jury. Joey shifted in her seat. This whole process seemed hard already and Charlie was only being interviewed by someone on her side.

"So, you were worried for your partner. Is that correct?"

"Yes, I was."

"And what did you do about it?"

"I took Joey away for a weekend break and encouraged her to file a complaint against Miss Tudor. She was reluctant but finally, being followed around and harassed all the time made her agree. That's how I ended up in danger."

"What happened?" Morag asked.

"I wanted to follow up the case immediately and foolishly, I went to speak to Miss Tudor alone. She was staying in the local caravan park so I went to speak to her. But she took me by surprise and knocked me out."

"Miss Tudor attacked you and rendered you unconscious?" Morag clarified.

"Yes."

"And what happened when you woke up?"

"When I woke up, I was still in her caravan. She'd stripped me of my gun, my whole utility belt and handcuffed me to the sink," Charlie explained.

Ruby and Abbey clutched each other's hands. Ruby felt for Joey's also, each of them knowing that the story was only going to get worse.

"And in your own words could you tell us what happened next?"

"I tried to reason with her but she seemed wild, out of control. She kept ranting that I'd taken Joey away from her, as if I'd stolen her somehow."

"But Miss Collins and Miss Tudor were never in a relationship. Is that correct?"

"Yes. Joey was never interested in her that way."

"And your relationship began once Miss Collins had moved to Summer Bay. And she left in order to get away from Miss Tudor's attention."

"That's right."

"How did you end up in the woods?" Morag asked.

"After I failed to reason with her and convince her to let me go, she um... she assaulted me. It was at that point that I ended up with a broken leg. Or the first part of it, at least."

"The first part?"

"My right leg was broken in three separate places. It took a long time of rest and physiotherapy to heal," Charlie explained. "I believe that it was from this incident that my leg was broken in at least one or two of the three places."

Abbey looked and felt horrified. She wondered if she should have just followed her mother's wishes and stayed away. Hearing what she had been through was heartbreaking.

"After she'd assaulted me, she threw me into the back of my patrol car. The next bit is a little hazy," Charlie admitted. "I had a head injury and I was struggling with consciousness. I remember little of the journey but I woke up when we arrived in the woods."

"And what happened then?"

"Miss Tudor attacked me again. She beat me to the point of losing consciousness."

"And what were your injuries?" Morag probed.

"As I've said, my leg was broken in three places. The knee of my other leg was also fractured, meaning that I wasn't able to walk. I had a dislocated jaw and shoulder, a fractured elbow and a fractured cheekbone. I had several head injuries and a damaged eye. The doctors weren't sure I would regain full vision but thankfully I did."

"Now might be a good time for the jury to see photographs of these extensive injuries," Morag suggested to the judge, who nodded.

Ruby fought a wave of nausea as she remembered just how bad it had been and what the photographs would detail. She felt Abbey clutch her hand. She in turn, held onto Joey a little tighter. Ross just stared ahead of him, hardly seeing anyone in the room. He'd worked thousands of crime scenes but the thought of his little girl being so broken, destroyed him. Yet again, his beautiful Charlie had been hurt and he hadn't been able to protect her. A ripple of distress ran through the jury as the examined the photographs of Charlie's battered body. It was exactly what Morag wanted to hear.

"I don't remember much after that," Charlie said. "When I'd regained consciousness I'd been handcuffed to a post. Miss Tudor told me that she was leaving me out there to die slowly and painfully."

Charlie's voice caught and she looked down.

"I believed that my life was over," she explained, fighting the emotions that raged within her as she recalled what had happened. "I didn't think I had a hope in hell of being saved. I was convinced that I was just going to bleed to death out there, or maybe animals or the cold would get to me first."

Ruby let out a whimper. Joey hugged her. Abbey cried in silence.

"I tried to um... to provoke her into shooting me," Charlie admitted.

Her own tears finally fell. Describing it all felt like she was right back in that hopeless, agonising moment.

"I wound her up by telling her that Joey would never be hers and that she would always love me," she said, her voice trembling. "But she resisted. She wanted me to suffer."

"Miss Tudor left you to it, didn't she?"

"Yes. I really don't remember a lot after that. I remember feeling complete and utter despair, going over my life in my mind, clinging onto the images of my loved ones and feeling devastated that I would never see them again. I tried to free myself but it was impossible and it hurt too much. So I sat there contemplating my life and everything I wouldn't get to do. I just willed the end to come."

Skip tried not to look smug at the suffering she had inflicted on the woman she hated so much. Charlie openly sobbed. The judge placed a box of tissues in front of her. She took one gratefully.

"I'm sorry, Miss Buckton," Morag said. "I realise that going over this terrible ordeal again is painful for you. But it is necessary."

"I know," Charlie said softly, grateful that Morag was her counsel and not some stranger.

"How did you escape?"

"I was told later that Joey risked her life to rescue me," Charlie said. "I have very vague images and memories in my head but I was so close to... to death that I remember very little of that part. The next thing I knew with any clarity was waking up in hospital."

Morag continued her questions, getting Charlie to explain how long it had taken to recover, how long she had been in hospital for and how long she had been incapacitated at home for. She dragged Charlie through all the depression and anxiety she had suffered during that time.

"Thank you, Miss Buckton," Morag said pleasantly. "I have no further questions."

Skip's lawyer, Frank Barrett immediately stepped up. Charlie tensed, knowing that this would be the worst part of the day.

"Miss Buckton," he said. "You've stated more than once that you don't remember a lot of what happened to you. So how can we trust your account?"

"I remember enough," Charlie said firmly.

"But with head injuries as bad as yours, how can you trust what you thought you saw? Isn't it possible that you were informed later that my client, Miss Tudor assaulted you and you just believed it?"

"I know it was her. I was full conscious while she battered me almost to death," Charlie snapped. "And it was her that I went to see. It was her that sat down and painstakingly explained to me exactly why she believed I deserved to die. I might not remember the car journey and the rescue operation because of my injuries but I'm perfectly aware of what happened to me and exactly who was responsible."

Frank nodded. He had known from the start that undermining the victim would be impossible and largely pointless. He'd begged Skip to plead guilty but she was desperate not to be punished. No matter how he explained the impossibility of getting her off, she had remained adamant.

"Miss Buckton, I don't believe you remember very much at all about this attack. With you being the only witness and potentially unaware of exactly what happened and who was responsible, I'd suggest that this entire case is invalid. We don't have a reliable witness to prove that my client was actually responsible for your ordeal."

Charlie made to respond but Frank dismissed her quickly and sat back down.

***

That evening, Charlie, Joey, Ruby, Abbey, Ross and Morag sat down to dinner together.

"It went well today," Morag told Charlie. "You should be proud of yourself."

Charlie smiled.

"Do you really think so?"

"Barrett's argument about you being an unreliable witness was weak to say the least. I heard on the grapevine that he's tried to get Tudor to plead guilty. Even he doesn't think that their defence stands up. I'm sure a guilty verdict is a dead cert."

***

Once Morag and Ross had left, the others prepared to go to bed. Charlie headed to the kitchen to get glasses of water for herself and Joey. On her way back, she bumped into Abbey.

"Hey," Charlie said softly. "Are you okay? You've been pretty quiet since we got home."

"I'm fine," Abbey promised. "It was all just pretty hard to hear. I can understand now why you didn't want me there."

"I didn't want you to have to go through that, to hear all the gory details."

"I kind of wish I hadn't and I'm kind of glad I did," Abbey said.

She quickly pulled Charlie into a hug and held on tightly.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, Mum."

Charlie's eyes widened at the use of the word. She had never called her anything more than Charlie all this time.

"I love you," Abbey added.

Charlie held her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too, Abbey," she said. "I love you so much."


	98. Chapter 98

_Welcome back to this story! I hope you will continue to enjoy it after the break. The trial continues and Joey takes the stand... IJKS xx_

**Chapter Ninety-Eight**

Joey sipped her water to relieve her dry mouth. It felt like she'd been stuffed with cotton and it was hard to talk. Morag was patient and kind as she walked her through Skip's harassment and the end result of Charlie being abducted and tortured, nearly bringing about her death.

"How did you and Miss Buckton escape the woods?" Morag asked.

"I uh... I had to carry her on a blanket along the forest floor," Joey said. "I just about managed to get her into the car. I can't drive but it was an emergency. Charlie was dying. She was barely conscious so I just about managed to start the car and we drove carefully back towards town. Fortunately, Charlie's colleagues, Jack Holden and Angelo Rosetta found us and saved us."

Joey felt tense and emotional. Reliving the tale of Charlie's near-miss was almost too much to bear. It wasn't something either of them talked too much about at home. They'd just wanted to forget about it and move on. Hopefully, once the trial was over, they could.

***

Ruby and Abbey followed Ross, Leah, Aden, Angelo, Jack and Watson out of the public gallery and waited in the corridor. Joey, Charlie and Morag appeared. Charlie and Joey clung tightly to one another.

"I never realised how brave you were that night," Ruby told Joey, who shrugged bashfully.

"You sound like you were amazing," Abbey added. "Thank you."

Joey clutched Charlie's hand, touched by their words but not wanting praise.

"Yes, thank you," Ross said quietly.

Everyone looked at him in surprise. It was no secret that Ross held Joey in constant contempt.

"Thank you, Mr Buckton," she said politely.

"Shall we get some lunch?" Morag suggested, knowing that only half of Joey's battle was done.

***

Joey returned to the stand and ignored Skip's gaze as Frank stepped up and approached her.

"You've painted yourself as quite the hero, Miss Collins," he began.

Joey opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out.

"Strong, loving, committed partner risking her own life to race into land unknown and rescue her poor, defenceless girlfriend..." he ventured.

"Well, I don't think that's quite what I said," Joey objected.

"That's what it sounds like to me," Frank told her. "You sound like the perfect partner. I'd love for someone to love me enough to risk life and limb to save me. But the thing is, Miss Collins, is that you're not the wholesome woman you appear to be, are you?"

Joey shifted and swallowed.

"I don't know what you're getting at," she replied flatly.

"You've come from a somewhat erratic background, haven't you?" Frank said. "Abused by your father, you ran away from home..."

Morag stood quickly.

"I don't see what Joey's childhood has to do with this."

"I apologise," Frank said smoothly. "I take back the abuse comment. But you did run away from home as a teenager, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," Joey admitted.

"And since then, you've never settled in one place for longer than a year. You've travelled the country, doing lots of different jobs, never quite staying in the same place, stealing from one of your employers."

"I didn't steal!" Joey snapped.

"I have all the police details of you being accused of the theft of a million dollar necklace. That's right, isn't it?"

"I didn't steal the necklace."

"Then why did you skip town and avoid the police all this time?"

"I'd been assaulted," Joey said, her body and voice trembling. "I admit I hid the necklace but it never left her house. I didn't steal it. I just left it somewhere it would be difficult to find."

"So you're a vengeful person, I take it."

"Not usually."

"But this time was different."

"I was assaulted."

"Why didn't you report it?"

"I just wanted to get out of the situation. I didn't want to make a fuss."

"And that's apparently what you did with Miss Tudor. She was harassing you and you fled."

"Yes."

"Would you say you were a promiscuous person, Miss Collins?"

Joey sat up a little straighter, taken aback at the new line of questioning.

"I'm committed to Charlie," she said.

"But you haven't always been with her, have you?"

"Well, no. Obviously not."

"What was your life like before you decided to settle down and be with Miss Buckton?"

"I, um..."

"You were promiscuous," Frank said certainly.

"Well..."

"Am I barking up the wrong tree here or have you had an immeasurable amount of sexual partners?"

"I wouldn't say immeasurable," Joey said, cringing and refusing to look up at Charlie.

"But you had several. We're talking well into double figures here."

"Yes," Joey said quietly.

"And in fact, your relationship with Miss Buckton began in this manner, didn't it? A random, one-off sexual encounter four years ago at a bar you were working at during that time."

Joey looked stricken. How did he even know about that?

"I'm currently in possession of a video tape, Miss Collins. It might sway your answer," Frank said confidently. "On the security tape, it's apparent that after hours in the bar, you performed a sex act on Miss Buckton whilst pressing her against a wall. I can show that tape to the court if you wish."

"No," Joey said quickly. "There's no need. We did do that."

"And this was the beginning of your loving relationship, was it?"

"We um... we got together just under a year ago."

"And yet you slept together four years ago. Was it a one-night stand?"

"Yes but only..."

"Did you even know each other's names?"

"We..."

"You both engaged in random sex with a stranger," Frank concluded. "Far from being the hero of the piece, Miss Collins, you are a promiscuous wanderer with no base and no concept of a monogamous relationship."

"I am monogamous now," Joey said sternly.

"But you weren't then. You weren't when you met Miss Tudor, were you?"

"I wasn't with Charlie then, no," Joey agreed.

"And so, with this history of yours, this tendency to fall into bed... or sometimes not even get as far as the bedroom before you slept with a woman, you really expect this court to believe that nothing happened between yourself and Miss Tudor?"

"I've told you everything that happened. We kissed once. It was pity on my part."

"You're really trying to say that Miss Tudor offered herself to you, a woman who appears not to be able to say no, and this one time, you turned her down?"

"I can say no. I do say no. I have said no," Joey said hotly. "And I said no to Miss Tudor. Several times. She refused to get the message."

"I don't believe you," Frank said.

His smile was mocking.

"And with all these details about your less that holy personal life, I doubt anyone in this room will believe you either. You seduced Miss Tudor, a woman who had never had any kind of female or even male attention before in her life. You had sex with her and then you dumped her without warning or feeling. Confused and hurt, she followed you to your new location asking questions. Distressed, she then attempted to talk to your partner, Miss Buckton. Things got out of hand and with your relationship and Miss Buckton's reputation on the line, I suggest that the two of you formed this little story in order to remove Miss Tudor from your lives forever."

"That's not true!" Joey said desperately.

"Well, I for one, believe it is. No further questions."

***

Charlie hurried out of the court, desperate to be with Joey. Her heart had broken as Skip's lawyer dragged Joey's heart and soul through the mud and made her out to be some kind of lowlife. She spotted her quickly, leaning against the wall with her eyes squeezed shut. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Joey!" she said.

Her fiancée ignored her. Charlie worked her hand into Joey's. The grip was tight. She glanced behind her as their friends and family arrived.

"I'm sorry, Joey," Morag said. "That should not have happened."

Joey let go of Charlie's hand and wiped her eyes, staring at the crowd around her without really seeing them.

"I'm sorry," she finally said to Charlie.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Charlie said honestly.

"Joey, I take back what I said at lunch time," Ross said, unable to stop himself from leaping in. "You've done nothing but let my daughter down."

"Dad!" Ruby snapped.

Charlie was lost for words. She watched Joey and Ross stare at each other, full of unspoken emotion. Then Joey turned and fled. Charlie called after her but Joey would not turn back.


	99. Chapter 99

**Chapter Ninety-Nine**

Leaving her family and friends behind, with a viscous glare at her father, Charlie hurried outside in pursuit of Joey. Standing on the front steps, she looked around desperately and finally spotted her a little way away, leaning against the building with her head in her hands. Hurrying over, Charlie called Joey's name but received no response. Catching up to her, she attempted to pull her hands down from her face but Joey's grip was firm as she sobbed.

"Joey," Charlie tried. "Joey, please listen to me."

She was met with nothing but silence.

"Joey..."

Joey snapped her hands away from her face and stared at Charlie with red rimmed eyes.

"Why do you even want to talk to me?" she demanded.

"Because I love you and you're upset. Joey..."

"You shouldn't love me, Charlie. I completely let you down in there."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course you didn't let me down. How could you?"

"I did! My past is tainting our evidence. They might believe Skip instead of us because of the things I did before I met you this time around."

"Joey, your past has nothing to do with anything," Charlie said seriously. "You have done nothing wrong and you did not let me down."

"They nearly showed a videotape of us having sex!"

"Exactly!"

Joey looked bewildered.

"Us. We. We got caught having sex on tape. Me and you. I take my portion of the blame for that. It wasn't solely your responsibility."

"But..."

"But what?

"I made a habit of that sort of thing. Not you."

"I've had my fair share of flings," Charlie reminded her.

"But... It's not the same, Charlie. I got ripped apart in there and all his evidence about me being a bad person was true. I came from shit. I never settled. I slept around. Not to mention the necklace thing!"

"Joey, listen to me..."

"You and I should just go our separate ways, Charlie. You don't need me fucking your life up."

"Joey, don't you dare say that!" Charlie said, deeply hurt. "We're in this together, aren't we?"

Joey shook her head.

"Your Dad's been right about me all along. I'm no good for you. You deserve better than me."

"I don't want 'better than you. I want you. I love you. I need you. And I am not letting you walk away from me because you're on a guilt trip. Okay, so it didn't go great up there but he had no real evidence to offer. He can suggest that we lied all he wants but he has nothing to back it up. We have medical evidence and witnesses. He only dragged you through the mud because he had no other option. You haven't lost us the case. You haven't messed up. And the single worst thing you could do to me right now is walk out. We have a home and kids to think about. And in case you'd forgotten, we're getting married in a few months. Don't make me stand at the altar by myself. Don't you dare do that."

Joey cried harder and looked down at her beautiful engagement ring. She allowed herself to momentarily get lost in their happy memories, hoping that they would override the feeling of grief she had now. She looked up tearfully into Charlie's serious and worried face and then fell into her arms.

"I love you, Charlie," she said. "I'm sorry for messing up."

"You haven't," Charlie assured her. "Everything's going to be alright."

***

It was a subdued dinner that evening. Ross and Morag had gone back to their own place. Morag had apologised profusely for her husband's behaviour but Ross was not inclined to do it for himself. Sitting round the dinner table, Charlie, Joey, Ruby and Abbey were mostly quiet. Joey feared that they were judging her but tried to convince herself that she was being irrational. Charlie had already assured her and Ruby and Abbey had always been good to her. They had always trusted and understood her and she desperately hoped that wouldn't change now. All she wanted was to do her best for Charlie and their family.

"I think I'm going to turn in early," Joey announced. "I'll do the dishes in the morning."

"I'll come with you," Charlie said, not wanting to leave her alone. "Will you two sort yourselves out?"

Ruby and Abbey nodded, looking concerned. Charlie followed Joey up to their bedroom. Closing the door behind them, Charlie paused. She watched Joey pull her clothes off and throw herself onto the bed. Coming closer, Charlie reached out to her beloved.

"Joey, please talk to me," she asked.  
"I don't know what to say," Joey replied flatly. "I just feel like I've completely let you down."

"Of course you haven't let me down," Charlie assured her.

She moved to pull Joey closer and gazed into her eyes, searching her soul.

"You have never let me down," she added sincerely.

"I just don't understand how someone like you could even consider loving someone like me."

"Because you're amazing," Charlie confirmed. "You make me happy. You're funny and kind. You're sweet, gentle and loving. You've accepted me and every mistake I've ever made. You look after my sister, you're welcoming her baby into the world and you've taken on my daughter as if she were your own. You support me, you love me and you make me feel like the most special girl in the world."

"You _are _the most special girl in the world," Joey replied with a grin.

"You mean everything to me, Joey," Charlie said with the hint of a blush. "How could I not love you?"

They met in a loving kiss.

"Plus you're so damn hot I can't even think straight when I'm around you!" Charlie grinned.

Their next kiss seared with passion and sent them tumbling back on the mattress. Charlie leaned her body over Joey's, never letting their lips part.

"I love you, Charlie," Joey breathed.

"I love you too. With all my heart," Charlie replied.

She buried her face in Joey's neck, reining kisses all over her skin as her hands traced her body, scantily clad in underwear. Returning her mouth to Joey's lips, her hands tingled as she roamed over Joey's soft skin. Reaching her hand down, she stroked Joey's hip, knowing that made her giggle. Joey laughed and kissed Charlie a little harder, letting her hands stroke her body over her clothes. Peering down Charlie's shirt and receiving a tantalising view of her cleavage, she decided that Charlie ought to be as undressed as she was and immediately set to work. She moaned as she felt Charlie's fingers slip inside her underwear. She wasn't sure she'd ever needed to be this close to another person. It felt more intimate than it had ever been before. They were intent on taking each other to new heights.

***

The following morning, Charlie and Joey were tense as they drove to court with Ruby and Abbey in the back. Charlie was nervous for Ruby. She was getting bigger by the day and only a few weeks away from her due date. She didn't think she needed the stress of the court hearing but her little sister was insistent. She wanted to be there to support the people she loved, especially after what Joey had been put through the previous day.

***

"If you're not going to say anything nice today, don't say anything at all," Morag warned Ross as they pulled up into the car park.

The last thing either Charlie or Joey needed was added stress. At least neither girl was on the stand today. It was Angelo, Jack and Rachel's turn to give evidence on what they knew of what happened to Charlie and what the results were. They also had a psychiatrist to explain Skip's mental state. While the first three witnesses would be able to clearly indicate that Skip had injured Charlie, the psychiatrist might be capable of excusing her. Morag wasn't sure how things were going to go.

***

Angelo was surprised to feel emotional as he explained what had happened to Charlie. He told the court the state he and Jack had found Charlie and Joey in and just how close his friend and colleague had been to dying. It wasn't something he chose to think about a lot and now that he was, he struggled to contain his feelings. In a different life, Charlie was the kind of woman he would have been desperate to date. She was fun, energetic, kind and intelligent – not to mention stunning. He'd seen her date Roman and be treated like she was of no consequence and he would have been more than ready to swoop in and make her happy had Joey not arrived. Similarly, as far as Angelo was concerned, Joey was amazing. She was beautiful and the past that had come out, displayed for all to see, were just things that made her all the more entertaining. She was full of charm and she loved Charlie more than life. He was happy to see them together and he was certain they were soul mates. He hated that Skip had nearly got in the way of their love. She had nearly torn them apart through what she had done and the repercussions of that. The incident had left Joey feeling worthless and guilty and she'd nearly followed Ross's instructions to walk away. Fortunately, Charlie had got through to her and they'd stayed together. All he could hope was that Skip would be sent away for a very long time, never to make trouble for them again.

***

When the day was done, everyone congregated in the corridor before going home. The mood was subdued but all three of Charlie and Joey's friends had done well on the stand. Jack had told of the search for Charlie and the fragile state he and Angelo had found her in as well as the terror Joey had gone through. Angelo had done the same, including describing the first phone call to let him know that Charlie was missing and their interview after Charlie had returned home. He said that he believed their story completely and that he had detected not one single untrue statement. Rachel had reported the awful state that Charlie had been in when she arrived at the hospital and just how hard she and her team had fought to save her life. She confirmed that the injuries were likely to have been inflicted over a period of hours rather than minutes and could only have been caused by another person. The psychiatrist, however, had suggested that Skip suffered from severe paranoia and should there never have been a relationship with Joey, she was delusional and obsessive. She thought, if this was the case, then Skip may not be responsible for her actions and should be in receipt of support from a mental health team.

"Thank you so much for everything you did today," Charlie said to Jack, Angelo and Rachel.

"Of course, Charlie," Angelo said. "We were only ever going to stand up for you."

Rachel nodded. It had taken her quite some time to get the image of Charlie's nearly-dead body out of her mind; it had been hard to see her friend in such a condition.

"I just hope we helped," said Jack. "She deserves to go to prison for a very long time."

"She does. And I'm certain she will," Morag said.

Ross remained quiet, having taken heed of his wife's warning that morning. He wanted to be supportive but his dislike and distrust of Joey grated on his every nerve. Why would Charlie want to be with someone like her? She came from a rough background and seemed to have been dragged up instead of being brought up properly. She was promiscuous and deceitful. Perhaps Charlie found it exciting or something but he was certain that she would find her so entertaining when she got her heart broken.

***

Joey woke up alone the following morning. She bolted upright when she heard retching in their en suite bathroom. Hurrying in, she found Charlie heaving in the toilet bowl. She crouched down beside her and held her hair, rubbing her back. Charlie was sweating and tearful. Joey took some paper and wiped her mouth before getting up to fetch a glass of water from the sink. Today was the day that Skip would be giving her own evidence.

***

Skip was more nervous than she had been for the rest of the trial. She didn't want to have to get up and tell her side of the story. That battleaxe that Charlie and Joey had hired was likely to rip hell out of her and she wasn't convinced that her own brief was really on her side. She felt utterly confused and hardly knew what she was saying right now. So many truths and so many lies had all got mixed around in her brain and she wasn't quite sure what was real anymore. In all honesty, what she had done to Charlie made her feel sick. She had never been a violent person before in her life. But she refused to take responsibility. Joey had made her behave this way, after all. If she had just done what she was told, what was right, in the first place then everything would have been fine.

***

Charlie continued to feel sick as Skip stood on the stand, attempting to look the picture of innocence. Frank stood in front of her and asked her questions about her relationship with Joey. The beginning of the story mostly matched as she explained that they had met in a club and finished the night with a kiss. It made Charlie's skin crawl to think that her soul mate had kissed _that_. She was fairly certain that Joey felt the same these days. She shuddered a little. Morag turned to her and made sure that she was alright. She promised that she was and kept listening as Skip told a tangled web of lies. She stated that she and Joey had gone on a date and ended up in bed together. Skip delicately shared that it had been her first time and that she had been saving herself for someone she thought was special. Apparently after that, they had enjoyed a whirlwind romance full of love, sex, laughter and presents. In the public gallery, Joey shook her head. She was desperate to scream out that none of that was true but she didn't want to be held in contempt. Instead she clung onto Ruby's hand, squeezing it so hard that Ruby's eyes were beginning to water. After Skip's trip down imaginary lane, she explained that Joey had become distant with her and then eventually disappeared without word or warning. Skip had been lost without her first love and finally found out through friends that she had moved to the coastal town of Summer Bay. Desperate to at least find out why she had left her, Skip had followed and got mugged on the first day she'd arrived. She had been helped by who she now knew to be Charlie, Joey's new girlfriend. When she'd found Joey, she'd attempted to talk to her and find out what happened. But Joey had been aggressive and even pushed her around a couple of times, telling her to leave because she didn't love her anymore.

"She said she was with Charlie now and that was it. There was no apology or explanation about why she'd ditched me. Now that I know that she and Charlie had been together once before, I can only assume that they'd got talking again and Joey abandoned me to go and be with her but I don't know that for sure. I don't know anything for sure. Joey just walked out on me and left me with no answers or anything. I think she was very cruel."

"And what did you do about it?"

"I attempted to talk to Charlie but she was just as hostile and unkind to me as Joey was. I don't know if that's because she's a nasty person of if she was just being fed lies about me by Joey. I'm not sure how it happened but we got into a fight. I'm not proud of it but I did hit her. But I swear, I never did what she's claiming I did. It was a small fist fight. We went out to the woods to talk in private. Then I left."

"Where did you go?"

"I was devastated that Joey and Charlie had treated me the way they had. I left town and went back home to lick my wounds. Finally, after a few months, I realised that I couldn't get Joey out of my head still. Maybe I am a little obsessive but the woman I love, the woman I believed I could spend the rest of my life with, had treated me with no respect or kindness. I came back to talk to her and Charlie."

"And did you find them?"

"I was heading towards the Diner when I got tackled to the ground. I didn't know what was happening. The next thing I knew, Charlie was arresting me for all kinds of things that I had no comprehension of at all."

"Thank you," Frank said. "No further questions."

He sat down and Morag stood up.

"Miss Tudor, I'm going to get right to the point. If you didn't abduct and assault my client to within an inch of her life, how exactly do you explain the critical state she was found in?"

"I have no earthly idea," Skip replied. "All I can think is that this whole thing is a plot between Charlie and Joey to get me out of their lives. But I swear, they didn't need to go to these kinds of lengths. All I wanted was to talk to them one more time and then I would have left. I'm not violent. I didn't hurt anyone aside from a small scrap with Charlie. But for goodness sake, she's a cop! She's fit and in much better shape than me. Who do you honestly think would inflict the most damage out of the two of us?"

"I think you could have inflicted all kinds of damage if Miss Buckton was handcuffed to a post. You didn't 'have a scrap', did you, Miss Tudor? You put Miss Buckton into a weakened position and you beat her almost to death. Then you left her to die slowly and painfully and if it hadn't been for Miss Collins, she wouldn't have survived and you, Miss Tudor would be on a murder charge."

Charlie shuddered again at the thought. She would never have lived to be reunited with her daughter or see Ruby give birth to her baby boy. And she would never marry Joey. There were so many things that had happened and were due to happen now that she would never have known anything about.

"I did no such thing to Charlie," Skip insisted. "My only assumption is that Joey inflicted those injuries in order to frame me. She had injuries too, didn't she? She had cut hands and such. Those could easily have been from attacking Charlie."

"She says they were caused during a fight with you."

"We never fought. I could never have laid a hand on Joey. I'm in love with her."

"Even now?"

"Even now."

"Isn't that a little obsessive?"

"You can help who you love."

"Or what you do about it, I suppose. Even if what you do is illegal and immoral, don't you think?"

"I didn't do anything wrong," Skip stated firmly.

"Except abducting and assaulting Miss Buckton."

Skip shook her head.

"I didn't do anything. All that's been said about me is a lie."

"Like the lies you've told about being in a relationship with Miss Collins?" Morag challenged.

"We were in a relationship!" Skip snapped.

"She kissed you out of pity and nothing more. You have never had a sexual relationship with her."

"I did! And it was amazing! I even know she has a scar on her abdomen."

Morag eyed her curiously.

"You could have seen that from the cameras you put in her house."

"The camera thing is another lie!"

"So, you saw this scar when you were intimate with her?"

"Yes."

Joey furrowed her eyebrows, wondering where this was going.

"And did you ask her about it?"

"Yes."

"And what did she tell you it was from?"

Skip tensed. She had no idea where the scar was from.

"She didn't," she said.

"She didn't give any explanation about the scar you noticed?"

"No," Skip replied, shaking her head.

"That's very strange, don't you think?"

"She's a very private person."

"But you had this whirlwind, romantic, breathtaking romance. You'd think she'd trust you enough to tell you what happened to her."

Skip's mind was reeling, feeling certain she was being caught out.

"Wait! She said that it was a fight with her Dad. Her Dad did it."

"Interesting."

"What?"

"When we were putting our case together, we discussed scars and such things. We thought perhaps we could get you to admit your lack of knowledge about Miss Collins' body due to your lack of intimacy with her. That, however, is when it came up that you'd installed cameras into her house and she thought you might have been able to spot any distinctive scars from that. She mentioned a scar on her abdomen."

Morag returned to her desk and rifled through a folder of notes.

"Yes," she said when she found what she wanted. "Miss Collins stated, 'I have a scar on my abdomen. It's one of the only scars that haven't been caused by my brother or my father. A period of employment ended badly and I was attacked by an ex-boss. She injured me and now I carry that scar.'."

Skip swallowed.

"She must have lied to one of us then."

"The problem is that you say she is lying and that Miss Buckton is lying and they say that you're the liar. But unfortunately for you, there is evidence to back up Miss Buckton and Miss Collins' statements. They have injuries and witnesses. The timing of their version of events fits perfectly. You, Miss Tudor, have nothing resembling evidence in the slightest. No further questions."


	100. Chapter 100

_My goodness! I can't believe we have reached the hundredth chapter! I had no idea what an epic this was going to turn out to be when I started it. Thank you all so much for your commitment to the story – all your reviews and messages mean so much. I hope I've made this chapter a good 'un! Love IJKS xxx_

***

**Chapter One Hundred**

"Can I see your scar?" Charlie murmured, as she and Joey fell onto the bed.

Joey giggled and lay flat, letting Charlie make quick work of her buttons. Charlie lowered her mouth and kissed the scar that she'd seen a thousand times. Then she ran her lips up her torso and over her breasts before landing on Joey's mouth. They continued to kiss tenderly, letting all the tension from the day, out of their system. Hearing Skip's testimony had been hard, although Morag had done an amazing job in catching her out. Joey moaned and wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck. It was likely that there would be a verdict tomorrow and both women were desperately looking forward to Skip being put away for a long time.

***

They woke with the morning light and got showered and ready for court. They climbed into the car with Ruby and Abbey in the back. Ruby complained quietly of back pain.

"Isn't Bump going to appear soon?" Abbey asked, taking the moment to rub Ruby's belly and call hello to her unborn child.

"Couple of weeks," Ruby said cheerfully. "I am so... terrified."

"Not excited?" Abbey asked curiously.

"Oh, yeah, excited too. But definitely scared. How on earth am I going to manage to be a mother?"

Charlie focussed on the road, suddenly awash with guilt for not being the Mum she should have been to Abbey when she was growing up. Still, she hoped she was making up for it now. She presumed that things were going well anyway, considering Abbey had asked to stay for Christmas. And she had been ever so supportive during the trial – not to mention the fact that she'd called her 'Mum'. She blushed when she caught Abbey looking at her in the mirror. They smiled shyly at each other and Charlie felt comforted.

***

"So we just have to wait?" Aden asked. "That's not fair."

"It's probably good that the jury don't feel hurried, right?" Ruby said hopefully. "If they take their time then it means they've really thought it through."

Ross nodded but he was feeling as stressed as everyone else. And he was decidedly uncomfortable with the fact that Charlie had barely spoken to him since his little outburst against Joey a couple of days before. He looked up at the couple, holding hands as they sat across from him. Perhaps he had been too harsh with Joey. He was just desperate for nothing to mess up his daughter's case and the only thing that had really spun way out of their favour was Joey's turn on the stand.

"They're ready," Morag said, popping her head round the door of the waiting room.

There was a sharp intake of breath from most of the occupants – Charlie, Joey, Ruby, Abbey, Aden, Angelo, Jack, Martha and Ross. Slowly, they began to file back into the courtroom. Charlie squeezed Joey's hand and headed inside to sit beside Morag. The foreman of the jury was asked to stand. Suddenly it felt like all the air had been sucked from the room.

"Foreman of the jury, on the count of abduction, have you reached a verdict on which you are all agreed?" the steward asked.

"Yes."

"And do you find the defendant, Jennifer Tudor, guilty or not guilty?"

Skip's palms were sweating and her heart was racing. How on earth did she get to this time and place? How could things have got so out of control?

"Guilty."

Skip stumbled a little and held onto the edge of the table to remain upright. With a guilty verdict, she was doomed to spend at least a little time in jail. And it meant that she was more likely to be found guilty for other misdeeds as well.

"And on the count of assault and battery, have you reached a verdict on which you are all agreed?"

"Yes."

"And do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?"

"Guilty."

Charlie swallowed hard, unable to believe that justice was really going to be served. In the public gallery, Joey sat between Abbey and Ruby and the three of them held hands.

"And on the count of attempted murder, have you reached a verdict on which you are all agreed?"

Charlie thought she was going to be sick. The other convictions were obviously a good sign but this was the big one, this was the one that mattered. Skip's head was swimming. She was a good person. She was actually virginal. How could she be being sent down for attempted murder? She supposed Charlie was feeling like it was all worth it, just to get her away from Joey for good. Well, now it seemed she was getting her heart's desire.

"Guilty," the foreman said solemnly.

He couldn't bring himself to look at anyone and he sat down quickly. Ruby burst into tears and Joey cuddled her close. Abbey leant against them both and they clung to each other, all of them desperate to race down and celebrate with Charlie.

"Thank you," said the judge, checking that everyone was ready for her to speak. "Miss Tudor, we've sat here and listened to the story of what I can only describe as an evil act of malice, brought on by sheer obsession. This court has concluded that you harassed Miss Collins until she had no option but to leave town and start afresh in Summer Bay. You then followed her to her new home and continued to harass her and her partner, Miss Buckton. You then abducted Miss Buckton and brutalised her until she was on the brink of death. You then sadistically left her to die and returned with the intention of showing Miss Collins what you had done. I've been thinking long and hard about what sentence to give you, should you be found guilty. I will be strongly recommending that you be in receipt of psychiatric care. However, I don't believe your psychological problems are an excuse for what you have done to Miss Buckton. For abduction, I sentence you to a three year custodial sentence. For assault and battery, I sentence you to a six year custodial sentence. And for the attempted murder of Senior Constable Charlotte Buckton, I sentence you to nine years in prison. In conclusion, for the trauma you have inflicted on an upstanding member of our community, a woman with strong ethics and a fierce determination to uphold the law and protect those in our society, you will serve an eighteen year custodial sentence with no consideration for parole for a minimum of eleven years. Take her down."

Skip protested loudly as the guards from the prison service came to take her away. Frank offered her a helpless expression and she cursed him. He might have tried but he hadn't believed her story any more than anyone else had. The whole court had been against her from the start. She was furious.

***

An hour later, Charlie, Joey and their friends and family were at the Surf Club. Alf offered them all free drinks and gave Charlie and Joey his congratulations. He had always been fond of Joey, from the first moment she had charmed her way into working behind the bar. And Charlie was a good girl who always did her best. Joey had certainly brought out her more cheerful side.

"Hey, Rubes, are you okay?" Abbey asked, approaching her aunt who had settled herself in the corner.

"Mmm, yeah, I'm good," Ruby said. "Just a little uncomfortable. It's hard being fat."

"I don't think Bump would be too impressed at being referred to as a bit of fat," Abbey smirked, coming to sit beside her.

Ruby chuckled. They looked out across at the room, which was buzzing with joy over Skip's conviction. Angelo was enjoying the free alcohol and loudly cheering Charlie and Joey on. Jack shook his head and wrapped his arms around Martha. He could only imagine how Joey must have felt that day when Charlie went missing. If anything happened to Martha, he'd want to die. She was his world. Everyone looked up when Xavier, Hugo and Davina entered the bar. Charlie let her mouth hang open.

"I'll get rid," Jack promised.

Angelo followed.

"You're not welcome here," Jack told Davina.

"And nor are you," Angelo said to Hugo.

"What about me?" Xavier asked.

The police officers nodded at him and he slipped through to go and sit with Ruby and Abbey, making sure he said hello to his nearly born son. The bigger Ruby got, the scarier it all seemed. It was hard to think of it all as being real. In two short weeks, he was going to be a father. And he had no idea how.

"We just came to wish Charlie and Joey our congratulations," Davina said sweetly.

"I'll pass it on," said Angelo, folding his arms over his chest.

"I told you this was a bad idea," Hugo frowned, wondering yet again why his girlfriend always had to make trouble.

Still, at least it kept things interesting.

"Fine," Davina said dramatically. "We'll leave you to your party."

She turned to leave, pulling Hugo with her and then stopped at the door.

"Did they play that video tape to the court by the way?" she asked.

Joey blanched in shock and anger. What on earth had Davina had to do with that tape? She moved forward but Charlie tugged on her wrist and shook her head. Sighing, she let her go.

***

Once Davina and Hugo had left, the party resumed and the drinks began to flow freely. Charlie was touched by just how many people had come to offer their congratulations. Belle had come after work and Rachel and Tony had dropped by. Irene was there and all of Ruby's friends had shown up, including Nicole. Colleen had shown her face and for once it genuinely seemed to be in support rather than in the name of gossip. By the time everything had died down, Charlie was exhausted. She caught a taxi back with her partner, her sister and her daughter. Back at the house, everyone prepared for bed fairly quickly.

"Ruby, are you sure you're okay?" Abbey asked worriedly.

"I swear," Ruby insisted. "You're as bad as Xavier, fussing around me."

"I care about you," Abbey pouted. "And Bump."

"Are you going to call him by his real name when he's born?" Ruby queried.

"I haven't decided yet," Abbey giggled.

"I think it's time for bed, guys," Charlie said.

The teenagers nodded, hugged their elders goodnight and moved away. Charlie caught Ruby by the arm.

"Are you really okay?" she asked. "Do you need to go to the hospital or anything?"

"No, Charlie, I'm fine," Ruby promised. "I'd tell you if I thought something was wrong. I wouldn't risk Joseph's life."

"I know," Charlie said softly. "Goodnight."

She watched Ruby and Abbey leave and then looked back at Joey. The simple sight of her was enough to take her breath away.

"I am so happy right now," Charlie said. "I wasn't sure how I'd feel, whatever the verdict. But I'm happy. She can't hurt us again, for a minimum of eleven years and a maximum of eighteen. And hopefully she would have got over you by then."

She offered a cheeky grin. Joey smiled to and closed the gap between them.

"I think we need to go upstairs," she said, keeping her voice low and seductive.

Charlie nodded, readily agreeing and letting Joey lead her by the hand.

***

An hour and a half later, Charlie and Joey rested in each other's arms, exhausted from their love making session and the emotional week they had endured. With sex tapes on their minds, they had viewed the video of their night at the hotel and it had led to re-enacting how happy they had made each other that night. Lying on top of Charlie, Joey kissed her collarbone, tasting the perspiration on her skin.

"Mmm, you know you shouldn't kiss me there," Charlie murmured. "It makes me want to start all over again."

Joey grinned, kissing her collarbone again and then capturing Charlie's lips possessively. They jolted apart when there was a frantic banging on the door.

"Charlie!" Ruby bellowed. "Joey! Please... can you make yourself decent? Can you...?"

She sounded breathless. Charlie bolted out of bed and threw a long t-shirt on inside out. Joey hid under the blankets as Charlie pulled open the door.

"Ruby, what's...?"

She stopped when she saw the wet stain on her pyjamas bottoms, the paleness of her face and the trembling of her body.

"I think I'm having the baby," Ruby told her.

***

_I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Look out for a flashback in time for the next two chapters...! Enjoy. IJKS xxx_


	101. Chapter 101

_Welcome to Charlie and Joey's flashback... part one of two! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter One Hundred and One**

_Two and a half years earlier..._

Charlie pulled into the car park of the Varndean Hotel and killed the engine. She had just qualified from training and spent the first couple of weeks as a new police officer. So far, she loved it. But, as she'd predicted, it was tiring so she had booked a weekend off in advance. Now, she was looking forward to a long weekend, stretching from Thursday to Monday, of solace and relaxation. She had come away in order to escape her family and her friends and be by herself where nobody knew her. As usual, her father was driving her crazy. He wouldn't stop lecturing her about responsibilities now that she was a cop, especially as she was continuing his family name. Things were more stressful at their place these days as her mother was suffering from terminal cancer. She felt guilty but it was another reason why she'd needed to get away. Everything hurt so much at home and she needed a little time to herself where she could become strong again and deal with every tragedy that life seemed intent on throwing at her.

***

Several hours later, Charlie had checked in and settled herself in her room. She had eaten alone at the restaurant and warded off some 'seductive stares' from one of the waiters. He was good looking enough but she wasn't terribly interested. There was nobody who really captured her heart these days. She had been in a committed relationship for a year but it had been a nightmare and she had been grateful to get away. It had ended a month ago and it couldn't have come too soon as far as she was concerned. For now, she wanted to be young, free and single and concentrate on her career. Leaving the restaurant, she wandered through the grounds, enjoying the fresh air and tranquillity.

***

Joey was serving behind the bar of the Varndean Hotel and she would be stuck there until closing. Then she would fall into bed and enjoy a somewhat restful morning before work began all over again. It was good to get housed and fed on the job but unfortunately, it meant she worked much longer hours than she would in normal employment. But the work was good, if a little dull sometimes and she met a lot of interesting people. Her colleagues were also a laugh and she got on with them. As ever, she wasn't sure quite how long she would stay here. It had been an escapist resort after things had gone wrong in her last place of residence. An argument with her brother had left her in hospital. She had returned home for a brief spell and been treated terribly as usual and finally, she had decided that life was too short to be abused. So once again, she had taken off and set herself up as a barmaid and general dogsbody in the hotel and so far, it was good.

"What can I get you?" she asked, smiling at the next customer.

Suddenly, she stopped short, her mouth hanging open. Her customer's expression mirrored her own. They gaped at each other for a few moments before Joey came to her senses.

"Hi, Charlie," she said slowly, offering a smile.

She was relieved when Charlie smiled back.

"Hi, Joey," she said.

"How... how are you?"

"I'm good. Thanks. And you?"

"Good. I've... I've been working here for a few months."

Charlie seated herself on a stool, hardly able to contain the whirlwind of thoughts storming through her mind. The only person that Charlie had ever been insanely attracted to was Joey. She was the only person who had ever captured her mind, body and soul so completely, even if only for a night. There was nothing she regretted more than leaving the next morning and not seeing her again. She'd eventually found her way back to the gay bar they had met in but Joey hadn't been there and Charlie had seen it is a sign that they weren't meant to be. Now, sitting right in front of her again, she wasn't sure how to interpret the cards that fate was dealing.

"Do you enjoy it?" she asked, feeling dumb.

"It's pretty good. I like the staff. And I get a free bedroom. And hotel perks... like use of the pool and things like that."

"That's great. That's nice," Charlie managed.

"Did you um... did you qualify?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. I've been officially employed by the police service for two weeks."

"Taking a break already?" Joey smirked.

Charlie chuckled.

"Yeah, it's pretty exhausting. I told them I had it pre-booked in order to get away with it."

"Can I get you a drink?" Joey offered. "On the house."

"I'd love a white wine please."

Joey nodded and set to work, hardly able to take her eyes off Charlie all the while. Back when they had met, eighteen months beforehand, Joey had found herself hoping that something longer term would happen between them. The thought had scared her. She didn't do long term, no matter how hot a girl was, but there had been something exquisitely captivating about Charlie. But after the cop had left her apartment the next morning, she hadn't heard from her again. She'd looked out for her every night at the bar, right until she left but Charlie had never shown up. Joey had jollied herself into moving on to the next girl but she never quite managed to successfully forget Charlie.

"Enjoy," she said, setting it in front of her.

"I'd enjoy it more if you drank with me."

Joey looked around. The bar was almost empty. Technically it was against the rules but she was sure one wouldn't hurt. And besides, she had never been much for keeping the rules anyway. She smiled and poured herself a glass of wine, digging in her pocket for the price of the two beverages and sticking it in the till.

"I'll get the next ones," Charlie told her.

She could barely looked away from the barmaid, who appeared to be even more breathtakingly beautiful than the last time they had been together, if that was possible.

***

As the evening wore on, Charlie had remained at the bar. After recovering from a little awkwardness and the shock of bumping into each other in such a random location, they had begun chatting easily. And it hadn't taken very long for not-so-innocent flirtations to slip from their mouths, teasing each other with hopeful promise.

"Okay, time to close the bar now, I'm afraid," Joey called out to the small and mostly empty room.

Charlie looked around and watched people begin to drink up. She turned to look at Joey.

"Do you want me to go or can I help you clean up?"

Both of their minds flashed back to the last time Charlie had offered her cleaning services. Joey licked her lips and leant on the bar, gazing into Charlie's eyes.

"Isn't that how we got to know each other before?" she asked, silently asking if it would pan out the same.

Charlie leant forward also, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"Yes," she said. "That's exactly how it started."

Joey touched Charlie's hand, sending sparks through both of them. Her heart began to race at the prospect of being close to such a beautiful woman again.

"Then that's exactly what I'd like you to do," she said.

They turned to find that everyone had departed. Joey picked up one cloth and handed the other to Charlie. In hurried silence, they began to wipe down tables and put the chairs up. Charlie watched Joey move back behind the bar to clean up. Charlie took the initiative to follow her and was rewarded with a big smile. As soon as everything behind the bar was sorted, Joey reached up to pull the shutters down, signalling to any patron that they were closed for the night. Charlie watched the way she moved and caught sight of a toned tummy, one that she knew intimately. The shutter was barely down before they fell into each other's arms. Their lips pressed together and their tongues began to play immediately. Heat rose from both their bodies as they crushed hips and against hips and breasts against breasts.

"I've missed you," Charlie murmured.

Joey kissed her, nudging her back against the bar.

"I've missed you too," she admitted, running her hands all over Charlie's body.

"Do you want to...?"

Charlie had intended to invite Joey back to her room but the urgency between them suggested that there wasn't enough time for that. Before she knew what was happening, Joey had nudged her up on the bar top, showing surprising strength when she lifted her. Charlie's parted her legs, letting Joey wedge herself between them as they continued to kiss. Almost gasping for breath with her desperation to be closer to Charlie, Joey guided her into lying down on the bar, apologising for any uncomfortable bits. If there were any, Charlie didn't notice, as she wrapped her arms around Joey's neck and pulled her closer. Kissing her with pleasure, Joey let her hands wander over Charlie's body, cupping her breasts and stroking her taut tummy. She slipped her hand down between her legs, playing with the fabric of her skirt. Charlie shifted, pulling Joey into a deeper kiss as she anticipated Joey's touch with delight. Joey worked her hand underneath the skirt, lifting it and stroking her through her thong.

"Come up with me," Charlie murmured.

Breaking contact ever so briefly, Joey looked at the bar and quickly figured out how to manoeuvre herself up. Hoisting herself onto the bar top, she leant over Charlie who reached out and pulled on her lover's shirt. They giggled as a few buttons pinged to the floor. Charlie quickly reached inside Joey's shirt, caressing her body with none of the hesitation she had shown that very first time. Joey leant over and kissed her tenderly but passionately as their hands wandered all over each other. It didn't take long for Joey to make short work of Charlie's underwear in order to begin exploring her with her fingers, delighted with every sensation that ploughed through both of them. Charlie was surprised and a little embarrassed of how quickly she reached orgasm. Afterwards, Joey rested her body atop Charlie's. Both of them breathed hard. Charlie stroked Joey's long, dark hair and Joey buried her face in Charlie's neck, kissing her skin and tasting her with her tongue.

"So, I was going to say 'do you want to come back to my room'?" Charlie chuckled.

Joey looked up, giddy as a school girl and nodded.

"I would very much love to," she confirmed.

Hopping off the bar and landing a little clumsily, she turned back to Charlie and took her hand. The older woman slipped off the bar with more grace and they just about managed to right their clothes, minus Joey's lost buttons. Holding hands and giggling, they stepped out from behind the bar. Joey briefly made sure everything was secure, with the cash naughtily uncounted in the back, all thoughts of work and responsibility eluded Joey. All she wanted right there and then, was Charlie, the only woman who had ever stolen her heart.

***

It was well into the early morning by the time Joey and Charlie rested together, kissing gently on the lips. Charlie lay on her back beneath the blanket of her king size hotel room bed and Joey lay atop her, still teasing her skin with her fingertips. She loved the way Joey kissed her and even though exhaustion was beginning to claim them both, Charlie couldn't quite will herself to want to stop. Joey's lips hovered just about Charlie's as she paused to gaze into her eyes and take in the feel of their bodies pressed so closely together. Nothing had felt so right in all her life. She had desperately hoped that one day they might find each other again but hadn't really believed it to be true. And now, here she was, curled up with Charlie in a hotel room after a glorious night of love making.

"So, what are your plans this weekend?" she asked.

"I planned a weekend of solace and isolation," Charlie told her.

Joey's face fell and she covered by kissing her. Charlie ran her hands through Joey's hair.

"But plans can be altered if you're free to spend some time with me."

She smiled and was delighted to see Joey beam back at her.

"I would love to spend time with you, Charlie," Joey told her. "I can't think of anything I'd like more."

"So, what are your plans tomorrow?" Charlie asked.

"I'm working in the afternoon till seven and then I'm free before and after."

"And Saturday?"

"I'm meant to be working all day but I reckon I can swap some shifts around," Joey grinned. "And then I have a day off on Sunday."

"A whole day off?"

"Uh huh."

"Wow. What could we possibly think to do with ourselves?" Charlie teased.

"I'm sure we could think of something," Joey said, kissing Charlie again.

"I think you might be right."

They continued to kiss until finally, they accepted that sleep was necessary.

***

The following evening, Joey was happily working behind the bar. She and Charlie had lazed around in the morning together before Joey had showered to leave for work. Charlie had joined her and it had quickly descended into a very exciting shower. Joey was surprised and delighted at Charlie's increased confidence and she wondered where she had found it. The first time they had been together, Charlie had been shy, almost frightened. As the night had gone on, she had become more confident but now she was even more so. And it was wonderful. Until the previous night, she hadn't thought sex could be better with Charlie but it seemed like each time they were together, they reached new heights of passion. Now, Charlie was sat in front of her on the other side of the bar, offering smiles, conversation and a tantalising amount of cleavage, as well as a promise of room service and a night of passion. Joey glanced at the clock. They had an hour to go and Joey couldn't wait to spend time with the girl of her dreams. Charlie was only staying until Monday and they had already silently agreed that they wouldn't keep in touch, although Joey was very close to speaking up and admitting how she really felt.

"Hey, Dolly Daydream," her colleague, Mark said, nudging her.

She had been attempting to pour a drink but her attention was too caught up in Charlie and she was actually spilling the bottle everywhere. Blushing, she snapped to attention and tried to ignore the way Charlie was smirking at her.

"Are you with her?" Mark asked, nodding to Charlie.

"Yes. I think I'm living in some kind of fairyland," Joey told him.

He chuckled. Having known Joey for a few months now, he was aware that it wasn't difficult for her to get a date but he had never seen her smitten before.

"Just do us all a favour and knock off early," he said. "I'll cover the last of your shift."

"You mean it?" Joey said, trying to curb her excitement.

"I mean it," he promised.

Walking out from behind her bar, she took Charlie's hand. Charlie jumped off.

"We've been granted a pardon," Joey told her as they hurried off to Charlie's hotel room.


	102. Chapter 102

_Happy New Year, everybody. I was due to update The Waiting Game today but I thought this chapter of Third Time's a Charm was more appropriate. Obviously it's going to end kind of sadly as Charlie and Joey's weekend in the hotel ends but we all know they get back together eventually – and they have a lot of fun before they say goodbye. So, enjoy and I will be back with an update of The Waiting Game on the first day of 2010 (UK time). IJKS xxx_

***

**Chapter One Hundred and Two**

_Still two and a half years later..._

Joey did not want to wake up the following morning. Charlie's bed was too comfortable and her body too warm and inviting. Their evening had been perfect, complete with dinner, dessert, champagne and more love making. They had had a late night and now, Joey just wanted to stay in bed but the alarm on her mobile was insisting she needed to be up and ready. She disentangled herself from Charlie, who immediately began to stir.

"Baby, I have to get up and start my shift," Joey told her.

Charlie blinked and pouted.

"No," she said, as if she was a sullen child.

Joey laughed softly.

"It's just housekeeping stuff so I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Housekeeping?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Yeah, you know... cleaning rooms, replacing towels. That kind of thing."

"Do you have to wear a cute little uniform?"

Joey laughed and ruffled Charlie's hair.

"I don't know how cute it is," she ventured.

"Wear it back to my room and I'll let you know."

"On the promise that you'll be in your uniform too. I saw it hanging up in the wardrobe."

"I came here straight from work," Charlie explained.

"Tell me you have your cuffs!"

"Maybe."

"So, I come back dressed as a maid to find you in your police outfit ready to arrest me, right?" Joey proposed.

Charlie blushed and giggled, pulling her in for a kiss.

"Sounds good to me," she said.

***

Once Joey had gone to start her shift, Charlie changed into her bikini and threw her jeans and t-shirt over the top. Donning some sandals and grabbing her towel, she headed out of her room towards the pool. She was already exhausted from two nights of passion but she was determined to get some exercise in the water. Plus, if she didn't do something active, she knew that all she would do in Joey's absence was daydream about her. She was sure that the other woman would be on her mind while she was swimming as well but she hoped to distract herself a little bit.

***

Joey and her colleague Carla were busy attending rooms on the fourth floor. Joey wished that they were in charge of housekeeping on Charlie's floor and she desperately wondered what she was doing. Every time she thought about the afternoon ahead of them, she grinned. It was certain to be a lot of fun.

"What is with you?" Carla asked, catching Joey daydreaming again.

"Nothing!" Joey lied.

"Is it this girl you've met?"

Joey blanched.

"How did you...?" she asked.

"Mark said that he covered your shift yesterday because you couldn't concentrate on anything but the hot woman sitting in front of you," Carla explained.

Joey laughed. She had been pretty obvious, which wasn't like her at all. Normally, she was so good at containing her emotions and reining herself in but it was like Charlie unleashed something in her that she had no control of. She'd been with her fair share of beautiful women but nobody compared to Charlie. She was physically addicted to her and becoming deeply emotionally attached, even though she knew she shouldn't. She wanted to give her whole self to the police officer; she wanted to give her heart. But she knew it was a fling. It was a brief continuation of their one night stand eighteen months earlier. However, she also knew that it was going to be impossible to say goodbye.

"So, tell me about her," Carla urged.

"She's amazing," Joey swooned without really thinking it through.

"You never fall for anyone," Carla commented. "Are you saying this is something real?"

"It won't go anywhere," Joey said sadly. "But yeah, I'm crazy about her."

"Why won't it go anywhere?"

They entered the next room and began to set about making the beds.

"Because she's straight," Joey said.

"So straight that she had sex with you on the bar!"

Joey dropped the pillow and stared at her in disbelief. Her mouth hung open.

"Oh yeah, you might need to go and see Simon down at the security office," Carla told her. "He has um... a video tape that you might not want anyone else to see!"

Joey looked horrified and then amused.

"I bet he's already watched it a thousand times already!" she remarked.

***

Charlie felt stupid, dressing up in her police outfit in order to play games with Joey. But still, she was dressed up and ready for anything her intriguing lover had to offer. Usually, she put her hair up for shifts but she thought it looked nicer when it was down so she left it cascading over her shoulders. She applied her make up in order to look as attractive as possible and waited for Joey to show up.

***

Joey checked her appearance in the mirror and then, still dressed in her maid's outfit, headed out the door to go and see Charlie, who she hoped was also in her uniform. After her shift had finished, Joey had headed down to the basement to see Simon. After much bargaining, she had acquired the video tape of herself and Charlie having sex on the bar on Thursday night and squirreled it away in her room. Now, she was ready to spend the rest of the weekend with Charlie, the most amazing woman in the world.

***

Charlie sat up straighter when she heard a knock on the door. She stood and checked her reflection one more time before pulling open the heavy door. Charlie caught her breath as she saw Joey in a black and white maid's outfit. Her hair hung loose and her legs seemed to go on forever.

"Wow," she breathed.

"Wow yourself," Joey replied, looking Charlie up and down.

Charlie stepped back to let her in. Both women fought the urge to fling themselves into each other's arms and forego the fantasy element of their afternoon but they just about managed to stay in control. Joey stepped in close. They breathed each other in.

"Are you ready to read me my rights?" Joey whispered.

***

Forty five minutes later, Charlie had indeed read Joey her rights. As they both struggled with their laughter and to control their desire for each other, Joey had ended up being strip searched. Now, she was lying flat on her back in only a thong, handcuffed to the bed. Charlie straddled her hips and enjoyed taking full control of the situation. She kissed Joey's lips and enjoyed the way she responded. Then she slowly made her way down her body, kissing and teasing every part of her, lingering on her neck and breasts. Finally, her lips came into contact with the waistband of Joey's underwear. She kissed her over the top of the material and felt her wriggle beneath her. Charlie looked up and saw Joey fight with the handcuffs.

"Now, now," Charlie said firmly. "Behave."

Joey grinned.

"Sorry Constable," she apologised.

Charlie moved up and kissed her mouth again before slipped Joey out of the remainder of her clothes and settling between her legs.

***

One hour later, Joey had been released from her cuffs and started work on Charlie's body. The police officer was in her underwear, bra and an open shirt. Joey's hands and lips roamed Charlie's body, exploring, teasing and playing. She enjoyed the way that Charlie responded to her and the cheeky way that she intervened in Joey's playtime and sought to bring her yet more pleasure with her wandering hands. Joey was dumbstruck each time Charlie touched her. Kissing Charlie's neck, her hand slipped inside the cup of her bra. Charlie moaned and slipped her hand between Joey's legs, enjoying the texture and feel of her against her fingers. Joey gasped and struggled to maintain her circular motion against Charlie's right breast as she enjoyed Charlie's exploration. Charlie slipped inside her for the third time since they'd started. Joey thrust against her, enjoying the penetration and the teasing strokes of her thumb against her most sensitive area. Joey tugged Charlie's shirt off her shoulders and pushed down her bra straps. Her mouth descended on Charlie as she climaxed. She sank against her, continuing to run her tongue over her skin. Charlie moaned, reluctantly withdrawing her fingers and allowing Joey to take control.

***

The following day, after a prolonged shower for both of them, Charlie and Joey were ready to emerge from the hotel. Joey was grateful for the day off and decided to take Charlie to her favourite place in the whole city. In the car, they held hands, stroking each other's fingers with their thumbs as Charlie drove down towards the river. Parking up, they climbed out of the car.

"Lunch?" Joey suggested brightly.

They had already given up breakfast in favour of lovemaking and had worked up quite the appetite. Charlie nodded and leant against Joey's shoulder. Joey put an arm around her waist as they headed to the nearest cafe. Both tingled at the touch.

***

Having eaten, Joey led Charlie back to the water. They wrapped their arms around each other as they walked together.

"So, where are you taking me?" Charlie asked curiously.

Joey nodded to some stairs and they walked down a couple of steps. Then Joey let go of Charlie and jumped onto a ledge that surrounded the perimeter of the water. Charlie looked a little nervous as she followed. The two walked along the narrow shelf until they were far away from the hustle and bustle of the world around them. Once they were sufficiently far away from the world, Joey stopped. She set her bag down and laid a blanket on the concrete. She pulled out a couple of small cushions and sat down, extending her hand to guide Charlie down with her.

"And this is your favourite place in the world?" Charlie asked, snuggling in against her.

"I find a favourite spot in each place I live but yeah, I think this is my favourite of favourites."

"It's pretty," Charlie agreed. "And peaceful."

"And private," Joey said, turning to kiss her.

They immediately let it deepen. Wrapping their arms around each other, they lay back against the soft cushions and let the world drift by.

***

"Tell me a secret that you've never shared with a living soul," Joey requested.

They had spent most of the afternoon together on the ledge, in each other's arms, talking, kissing and holding each other. Both were painfully aware that Charlie would be returning to her normal life the following day and both were desperate to pretend that wasn't true. Charlie shifted and gazed at Joey.

"A secret about me that nobody knows?" she asked.

"Yep," Joey nodded.

"Ooh, um..." Charlie said, drawing the words out as she tried to think of something.

Joey stroked her arm with her fingertips, making her tingle and forget what she was trying to think about.

"Okay," Charlie finally said. "Nobody knows that... I haven't cried since I was twelve years old."

"Seriously?" Joey said in surprised.

"Seriously," said Charlie.

She snuggled deeper against Joey's chest, listening to the rhythm of her breathing and feeling her body move up and down.

"Is that a choice or...?"

"An impossibility," Charlie said. "I've tried. I've needed to cry but I just... can't. Even when Mum was diagnosed, I had no tears to shed. And it makes me feel like a terrible person. I'm devastated but I just... I can't cry."

"Crying isn't the only expression of grief, Charlie," Joey pointed out. "Even if you weren't physically expressing how you felt, it doesn't mean you weren't feeling it."

"I guess."

Silence fell between them for a few moments. Joey continued to trace her fingers up and down Charlie's arm. She moved to place a simple, delicate kiss upon her cheek.

"So, did something specific happen when you were twelve?" Joey asked.

Charlie tensed a little as she recalled the trauma she had been through at the hands of a sex offender and the day she had given her baby girl away for adoption. She had written her a letter and sobbed all through it, well after baby Grace had been handed over to her new parents. After that, she had not cried again. It had been like there were no tears left.

"I take it that's a secret for another day," Joey concluded.

Charlie looked apologetic but Joey stroked her face.

"It's okay," she assured her. "It's okay."

They kissed gently in the sunlight, holding each other close.

"What's your secret?" Charlie asked, determined that they would be playing fair.

"Hmm..." Joey mused.

She stretched her legs out and looked at the sky.

"Not prepared to share?" Charlie teased.

"No, no, I will," Joey assured her. "Let me think."

Charlie studied her face as she mused over what to reveal.

"Okay, going on the tears theme," Joey decided. "I'm not much of a crier either, to be honest. But there is one movie that just does me in. I weep at the end of it, no matter how many times I watch. Nobody knows about it though because I always make sure I watch it by myself."

"And what's that?" Charlie asked.

"_Beaches_."

"The Bette Midler movie?"

"Yep, that one. With Barbara Hershey. Gets me every time."

"It's pretty sad," Charlie agreed. "What is it about that film that gets you so upset?"

"I'm a loner. I always have been. But in that film, I'm in awe of their friendship. It's CeeCee and Hilary against the world. Nothing can come between them and even when they fight, they come back together. They love each other so much. I think it's beautiful. I'd love to experience that kind of thing."

"Have you ever been in love, Joey?" Charlie asked.

Joey shook her head, opting to ignore the fact that she fell in love with Charlie on sight.

"Have you?"

"No," Charlie said quietly. "I've yet to meet 'the one'."

She too ignored the fact that Joey very much felt like the person she was looking for.

"Would you like to?"

"I don't think I'd know how," Charlie admitted.

Joey turned to gaze into her eyes.

"You wouldn't know how?" she queried.

"I just... I don't know if I'm even capable of love – of giving it or accepting it. I know that it's unlikely that I'd fall for a man. And with a woman... I couldn't."

"Couldn't...?"

"It'd cause merry hell if I came out and told anyone that I was interested in women. In you. I just... I can't."

"You're not going to call me then?" Joey said, grinning to show that she was mostly teasing.

"Joey, I..."

Joey held her hands.

"It's okay. I know. I'll be your secret."

Charlie nodded and apologised.

"It's fine."

Both of them drifted through their own sadness as they realised it was unlikely they would ever see each other again.

"Hey, let's not get all sombre," Joey said perkily.

Charlie smiled at her.

"Yeah," she agreed.

Joey closed the gap between them and kissed her tenderly. Charlie melted into the kiss, never wanting it to end. When they finally drew away, they rested their foreheads together.

"Still sombre?" Joey asked.

"Definitely not," Charlie promised, kissing her again.

***

It was dark before Charlie and Joey arrived back at Charlie's hotel room. They had finally moved from the ledge to a restaurant for dinner. They had got somewhat distracted in the lift before finally making their way up to the room. They were flinging each other's clothes off before the door was even shut. Charlie giggled as Joey pushed her gently back on the bed, smothering her in kisses. Charlie kissed her in return just as passionately and stroked her hands up and down Joey's back. They tugged at each other's clothes and before long, there was nothing but air between them.

"You're the most amazing woman I've ever met, Charlie," Joey breathed, nuzzling into her neck. "If I could have written down my dream woman, it would have been you."

Charlie blushed and slipped her hand down between Joey's legs.

"I feel the same way," she managed, before words were lost on them and passion took over.

***

Joey hung around in the lobby feeling sorry for herself as Charlie checked out at the reception desk. Charlie sighed heavily as she handed back her key card.

"Would you like someone to escort you to your car and carry your bags?" the receptionist offered pleasantly.

"Um..."

"I can do it," Joey said, stepping up behind her.

The receptionist nodded and Joey picked up Charlie's bags.

"We hope you enjoyed your stay," the receptionist told Charlie, who replied that she had and thanked her very much.

Silently, Charlie and Joey exited the building and headed to the car park. At the car, Charlie opened the boot and Joey heaved her bags in. Once they boot was closed, they turned to face each other with heavy hearts.

"This has been the most amazing few days of my life," Charlie said sincerely.

Joey smiled.

"Me too. I mean it, Charlie. I think you're incredible."

They hugged each other tightly.

"Maybe we'll meet again?" Charlie said hopefully.

"I'm certain we will," said Joey. "And who knows what will happen then, hey?"

Charlie nodded. She bent to capture Joey's lips with her own. Their kiss lasted until they had no breath left. Joey held onto Charlie's hand and led her round to the driver's side of the car. She opened it up, kissed Charlie one more time and then watched her climb in. She remained in the car park, waving sadly until Charlie was well out of sight. She walked slowly back into the hotel, hands in her pockets and heart on her sleeve. Making her way to the bar, she sat down and ordered a beer.

"You okay?" Mark asked.

"Nope," she said. "I feel awful."

"I take it she's gone then," he said, placing her pint in front of her.

Joey nodded and gulped some of her beer down.

"Are you going to see her again?"

"If life is kind enough to bring us back together. Otherwise, she's gone."

***

Charlie concentrated on the road ahead. Her heart was aching with the loss of Joey, hating the fact that every moment took her further and further away from the woman she loved but couldn't be with. She was surprised to feel her face becoming wet. Lifting a hand off the wheel and to her face, she realised she was crying. Overwhelmed, she began to sob harder and pulled over onto the hard shoulder. Cutting the engine, Charlie sat and wept. After several moments, she took a breath and wiped her eyes.

"If I'm crying for her then she must be something special," she said aloud.

Deciding to turn around and go back to the hotel and make things work with Joey, she was just about to turn the engine on when her phone rang. Her heart leapt, hoping that Joey had managed to get her phone number from reception and was calling to tell her to come back. She frowned when she saw 'Dad' flash up on screen.

"Hello?" she said, hoping her sadness wouldn't be obvious to him.

"Charlie, are you coming home today?" he asked.

"I'm... I'm in the car now."

"Good. Get here as soon as you can. Your mother had a funny turn and she's in the hospital."

"Okay," Charlie said, worry immediately taking over. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

She hung up, took a breath, said a silent goodbye to Joey and then drove towards home.


	103. Chapter 103

_And Bump emerges into the world... Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

**Chapter One Hundred and Three**

"Oh my... shit, this hurts!" Ruby bellowed from the back of the car.

Charlie drove as quickly as she was allowed to with Abbey in the passenger seat looking as white as a sheet and Joey in the back trying to coach Ruby through her breathing.

"If you tell me to breathe one more time I'm going to kick you!" Ruby warned.

"I'm sorry sweetie but this is what they told us to do at the classes," Joey said, holding her sister in law's hand.

"But it's... Oh fuck! Charlie, how in the hell did you do this?"

"With great difficulty!" Charlie replied, taking a left and spotting the hospital up ahead.

"Sorry about that," Abbey smirked.

Charlie chuckled.

"How can you two laugh at a time like this?" Ruby demanded. "Ugh, if they'd tell us how bad labour is, we'd be a nation of virgins!"

"We're nearly at the hospital," Joey told her. "Just hold on."

***

Fifteen minutes later, Charlie, Joey and Abbey were outside Ruby's room, politely waiting for the Doctor to check Ruby over. All three, along with Xavier had attended ante-natal classes as some kind of entourage.

"Oh! We should call Xave," Abbey said, pulling out her phone and dialling quickly.

She turned away from her mother and step-mother and waited for Ruby's boyfriend to answer his phone.

***

Xavier woke with a fright as he tried to figure out where the intrusive noise was coming from. Rubbing his eyes, he located his phone and saw Abbey's name on the screen.

"Is Ruby okay?" he asked without so much as a hello.

"Get down the hospital. Bump's on his way!" Abbey told him.

Xavier leapt out of bed, hanging up the phone and clumsily hurrying from the room in order to wake his brother.

***

Ruby felt marginally more relaxed now that she was lying on crisp, white sheets although her contractions were getting worse each time. Her mind became bewildered as to how she could possibly push a baby through such a small space. The thought was making her feel sick.

"Where's Charlie?" she asked the nurse. "Can she come in here? And Joey! And Abbey! I need them. Can they come in?"

The nurse nodded and pulled open the door, gesturing for Ruby's family to come inside. Abbey hurtled towards the bed and hugged her aunt.

"Xavier's on his way," she said.

"Xavier..." Ruby repeated, having almost forgotten about him in all the chaos. "Thank you."

Charlie stepped up and stroked Ruby's hair out of her face. The teenager was sweating and struggling for breath. She kissed her sister's cheek and promised that she wouldn't be alone for any of it. Joey moved to the other side of the bed and held her hand.

"Sorry for threatening you," Ruby said shyly.

"We forgive anything that's said during the labour process," Joey assured her.

Ruby smiled and then her face contorted in pain. She cried out as she pushed through another contraction.

"How many of these do I have to go through before this thing finally pops out of me?" Ruby asked.

"You're at two centimetres," the nurse said. "So we've got a little way to go yet."

"Are you kidding me?" Ruby snapped, as if it were the nurse's fault.

She smiled apologetically and left the room.

***

Xavier sat in the passenger seat of Hugo's car as they hurried to the hospital. Davina had been less than impressed about being woken up but Hugo had told her she could sleep the whole night through and he'd go to the hospital with Xavier alone. On route, Xavier dialled Ross's number, unsure if anyone would have called him. He answered groggily but his voice and mind became clearer the moment he realised what was happening. He promised to get to the hospital immediately.

***

Ruby squeezed Charlie and Joey's hands as she struggled with another contraction.

"Seriously Charlie, it's impossible to feel this much pain and not die. How did you do this? How am I doing this? It's the worst thing ever!"

Charlie stroked her hair.

"It'll be over soon," she promised. "And when it is, you'll have the most amazing little boy at the end of it. He'll be beautiful and perfect and you will fall in love with him the moment you lay eyes on him. It's all going to be worth it."

Abbey listened from a little further back. She wondered if Charlie had thought all of those things about her when she was born or if she was just telling Ruby what she ought to feel. She wiped a tear from her eye, wondering if she would ever be brave enough to ask her.

"Is that true?" Ruby asked. "I'll forget the pain when he's born?"

"Why else do you think so many parents have more than one baby?" Charlie asked. "If the pain outweighed the joy then everyone would stop after the first time."

Ruby nodded and smiled, feeling comforted. Then she cried out in agony.

"The joy better be frickin' awesome!" she warned everyone within hearing distance.

***

Xavier and Hugo hurried out of the car and into the hospital, asking for Ruby Buckton at the nurse's station.

"She's already got three people in with her now so if you'll just wait then I can get them to come out. Who shall I say is here?"

"Xavier Austin. I'm the baby's father," the blonde boy explained.

The nurse nodded and entered Ruby's room.

"Xavier Austin's here," she said. "But there can only be three people in here at once so..."

"We'll give you some time alone," Charlie told Ruby.

She took Abbey's hand and Joey followed them out of the room.

"Don't go far!" Ruby called after them.

"We'll be right outside," Joey promised.

Charlie, Joey and Abbey entered the corridor. Xavier rushed past them and into the side room his girlfriend was going to give birth in. Charlie and Joey clocked Hugo and frowned, reluctantly accepting that after this day they would be a family of sorts. Joey sat down a seat away from Hugo. He gave her a not so subtle leer. Charlie and Abbey took their seats beside Joey. Abbey still clung to Charlie's hand, surprised by how much she enjoyed the contact. All of this was new to her but over the time that she had lived with Charlie, she had come to love her more deeply. She had come to love her as a mother.

"How long do you reckon all this will take?" Hugo asked, yawning.

"As long as it takes," Charlie replied curtly.

He shrugged, deciding that the only good qualities that either Charlie or Joey had was that they were hot and occasionally provided girl on girl action while he was in the vicinity.

"I hope Ruby's okay," Abbey said softly.

Charlie let go of her hand and put her arm around her.

"She'll be fine," she said.

***

Ross parked the car badly and leapt out of it. He could hardly believe that his baby girl, his Ruby, was giving birth at such a young age. He felt a mix of regret and joy at what was happening in their lives. He took Morag's hand and they hurried into the hospital together, wondering how long it would be until Ruby's bundle of joy would appear in the world.

***

"I called your Dad," Xavier told Ruby.

"What?" Ruby almost yelled, her eyes wide.

She squeezed his hand unnecessarily tightly for a non-contraction moment.

"I don't want him here!" she said angrily. "How could you call him?"

"I... I didn't know," Xavier faltered. "I thought... well, he's your Dad."

"I haven't forgiven him for how he treated Joey at court yet," she explained.

She cried out as another contraction hit her. Xavier pressed an ice cloth onto her forehead to try and cool her down. He was suddenly very grateful that he was the boy in the relationship. He wasn't sure he could ever take the amount of pain his girlfriend was in right now.

***

"Dad," Charlie said, standing up when she saw her father and step-mother.

"Is Ruby alright?" he asked, hurrying up to them.

"She's fine," Charlie said.

She sat down again and held Abbey with one hand and Joey with the other. She hadn't started talking to him properly yet after his damaging outburst against Joey a few days previously. And she wasn't going to until he apologised.

"Nice family tension," Hugo commented unhelpfully.

Morag glared at him and sat between him and Joey. Ross hovered awkwardly, knowing that things were tense because of him.

"I think we're in for a bit of a wait," Joey said, unable to cope with the way Ross was staring at her. "I'm going to get a coffee."

"I'll come with you," Abbey said brightly, leaping to her feet.

Charlie watched them hurry away. Ross took Joey's seat.

"Have they said how long it's going to be?" he asked his daughter.

"However long it takes," said Hugo, recalling the way the girls had snapped at him.

"Thanks for that," Morag said sourly. "That's ever so helpful."

Hugo shrugged, knowing that Morag was not a fan of his. He didn't particularly care. Charlie chose to ignore her father's questions. When she looked at him now, all she could see was how broken Joey had been after her day on the stand. And Ross hadn't even bothered to apologise. He probably still thought he was right.

"Charlie..." Ross tried.

"I appreciate that you're the Grandfather and you should be here but I don't really want to talk to you," his daughter said.

Ross looked helpless at Morag who was unsympathetic.

"It's your own fault," she told her husband.

"I'm sorry I upset Joey," Ross said. "I was stressed and worried about you not winning the case."

"So? We were all stressed and worried. It didn't make us all act like arseholes."

"Charlie!" Ross snapped in disgust at her language.

"No, Dad," Charlie said firmly. "Joey is the person that I have decided to spend the rest of my life with. She's the person I love. The person I'm going to marry. She's also the person who saved my life. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be sitting here now. If you love me at all, you should be on your knees begging her to give you the time of day. You should adore her. But obviously you don't care about any of us because you treat Joey like shit. And she has never deserved it."

Ross stared at her, open mouthed. Charlie stood and headed off to find her girlfriend and her daughter. Ross turned back to Morag, ignoring Hugo smirking behind her.

"She's right, you know," Morag said simply.

***

Ruby felt hot tears running down her cheeks. She was convinced she couldn't take the pain. Xavier remained by her side, trying to tell her that everything would be alright but she was feeling too sorry for herself.

"I can't do this, Xave," she whimpered. "The contractions hurt like hell. I can't even imagine what giving birth is going to be like. I can't do it."

"Of course you can," Xavier said. "You're the strongest person I know. And you've come this far. It won't be so bad."

"What do you know?" Ruby snapped.

She'd been comforted until his final sentence.

"You don't have a vagina!"

He stepped back a little.

"I'll uh... maybe I'll go get Charlie," he said, fleeing the room.

"Don't leave me!" Ruby called after him but he was already tearing down the corridor.

"What's wrong?" Ross asked, standing up and stopping him.

"Nothing. She just needs Charlie and Joey," he said,

"They're getting coffee in a bid to not sit with Ross," Hugo told him.

Xavier hurried away.

"Do you have to be here?" Ross asked Hugo.

***

Charlie, Joey and Abbey looked up when they heard Xavier calling Charlie's name. Instantly worried, Charlie checked that Ruby was alright.

"She's upset," he said. "I think she needs you. She keeps telling me off because I'm a boy."

"And because if it wasn't for you she wouldn't be here!" Abbey remarked playfully, as the group walked back up the corridor together.

"Hey!" Xavier protested. "It takes two to tango!"

"I don't need images of you tangoing with my little sister please, Xavier," Charlie said, putting her hands over her ears.

Xavier and Abbey sat down with Ross, Morag and Hugo as Charlie and Joey went in to Ruby.

"Hey, sweetie," Charlie said kindly, moving close to her tearful sister.

"Charlie, I just don't think I can do this. Isn't there another way?"

Joey moved round to the other side of the bed in order to take Ruby's hand.

"They only do caesareans if they have to. And I know it's horrible to go through labour like this but think how amazing it'll be the first time you hold your son in your arms."

"Was it amazing with Abbey?" Ruby asked.

"I had a caesarean because my pelvis was too little to give birth naturally," Charlie said. "I missed it."

"Did you miss out?"

"I wonder if I did," Charlie admitted. "Maybe if I'd have seen her arrive in the world, if I'd have been present properly, I might have fought harder to keep her."

Ruby tensed and struggled with the next contraction. The nurse came into the room and checked on her.

"I think we're ready to go," she said.

Ruby looked at her wide eyed.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you want your boyfriend in here?" the nurse asked.

"Yes. Yes. Can Charlie and Joey stay too?"

"Of course."

***

A few minutes later, the delivery room was crowded with a midwife, a Doctor, a nurse, Ruby, Charlie, Joey and Xavier. Ruby's cries were deafening.

"It's okay, Ruby," Xavier said. "You can do it."

"I can't!"

"You can, sweetheart," Charlie encouraged.

"What's going on down there?" Ruby asked. "Can you see?"

Charlie moved down to the end of the bed.

"We've got a head!" she announced.

"Okay, Ruby, you need to push a little more, okay?" the midwife said gently.

"I can't!" Ruby sobbed.

She clutched Joey's hand far too tightly. Joey tried not to yelp with the pain.

"You can do it," Xavier repeated. "I know you can."

"You did this to me!" Ruby accused. "I hate you!"  
"No you don't, darling," Charlie said calmly. "You love him. That's how you ended up here."

"Oh shut up!" Ruby bellowed as she pushed for another contraction.

Joey's eyes watered and she heard a distinct snapping noise coming from her hand.

"We've got shoulders!" Charlie told Ruby.

"Okay, we need a big push now," said the midwife.

Ruby obeyed and Joey's hand continued to crunch in Ruby's grasp.

***

"What's going on in there?" Abbey asked worriedly, as she began to pace the corridor.

"What do you think?" Hugo asked sarcastically.

Abbey glared at him. She was just about to give him a piece of her mind when the door opened. One of the nurses stood there, smiling.

"Ruby had a baby boy weighing seven pounds exactly," she said.

Abbey beamed, thrilled that Bump was finally out in the world. Ross and Morag hugged each other. Even Hugo smiled. He was an uncle and his little baby brother was a Daddy.


	104. Chapter 104

_And now we welcome Bump or Joseph (named in this after Joey and named in real life after my nephew!) into the world and learn the fate of Joey's hand... Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

***

**Chapter One Hundred and Four**

"Here he is," the midwife said.

She'd taken the baby to clean him up and now, bundled in blankets, she gently handed him over to his young mother. Ruby burst into tears as she stared at her baby boy. Joey stepped back and stared at her very painful hand. Charlie moved to stand beside her in order to give Xavier room to see his son. Charlie noticed Joey's hand.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly as Joey poked it.

Joey stopped poking it and whispered to Charlie that they would deal with it later. Charlie remained unconvinced but Ruby called them over.

"Charlie, Joey... I'd like you to meet Joseph Charles Austin Buckton. Officially. I know you were the first person to see him, Charlie."

Xavier beamed at the inclusion of his name. It was a new addition. Charlie and Joey moved closer and peered at the newest addition to their family.

"He's beautiful, Ruby," Charlie said, her voice light and high pitched.

"He really is," Joey agreed.

Xavier stroked Joseph's head affectionately.

"So perfect," Joey added.

She felt a twinge in her hand. She winced.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Charlie asked, noticing immediately.

"Um..."

She lifted it. Two of her fingers were unresponsive and starting to swell.

"It hurts," she said.

"Oh my... Did I do that?" Ruby asked. "I am so sorry."

"It's fine," Joey said.

She attempted and failed to wave her hand dismissively. It hurt too much.

"Okay, let's get this looked at," Charlie said.

She leant in and kissed Joseph on the head.

"We'll see you later, little guy."

Taking Joey by the waist, she led her from the room.

"I'll send the other's in."

"Not Dad!" Ruby said quickly. "He's not allowed in here or to see Joseph until he's said sorry to Joey."

"Oh, Rubes, that's not..." Joey began, flattered.

"It's my very firm decision," said Ruby.

Heading down to the emergency department, Joey let Charlie explain everything to the nurse. They were taken into a side room and were pleased when Rachel appeared to treat Joey's injury.

"How exactly did you do this?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"Ruby had a baby," Joey replied.

Rachel eyed her quizzically.

"I was foolish enough to hold her hand while she popped little Joseph out," Joey elaborated. "And that girl has a damn strong grip."

Rachel chuckled and examined Joey's fingers. Charlie hovered behind her, worrying.

"Is baby Joseph cute and healthy?" Rachel asked.

"He's perfect!" Joey and Charlie replied in swoony unison, making themselves and their friend laugh.

"Okay, I think you've got two broken fingers," Rachel told Joey, placing her hand back in her lap.

Joey frowned.

"We'll have to do an x-ray to double check and there's not a whole lot we can do for them except strap them up and protect them until they heal. And give you some painkillers."

Joey nodded, still frowning. Two broken fingers did not sound good at all although she couldn't help but think of the future when she could tell her nephew how his birth provoked such an injury. Rachel left to order the x-ray and Charlie took the opportunity to sit beside her on the bed.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Fine," Joey replied cheerfully. "He's dead cute, isn't he?"

Charlie smiled.

"He's beautiful. And you, my darling, are quite the sap."

Joey shrugged but couldn't stop smiling.

"For someone who never wanted kids..." Charlie remarked.

"I've suddenly become desperate to have a child with you," Joey admitted. "You know, when the time's right. I know we have to consider Abbey and everything so..."

Charlie kissed her, taking her breath away.

"I don't think Abbey will have any objections to getting a baby brother or sister," she said. "And I still really want a baby with you."

They kissed again. Joey lifted her fingers up unhappily.

"What's a lesbian with broken fingers?" she wondered.

Charlie snorted with laughter.

"With your creative talents, I'm sure you'll manage to work around it!"

Joey kissed her, letting it linger for as long as possible.

"You bet I will," she whispered.

***

Ross paced the corridor in annoyance. Morag, Xavier and Abbey were all in Ruby's side room cooing over the baby – his grandson. And he was being kept outside until he made a stupid apology to Joey. He could understand it if Charlie had been the one to give birth but why would Ruby have such a strong opinion on anything? He thought she was treating him very poorly and the more he thought about it, the angrier and less inclined to apologise to anyone, he got. Charlie and Joey had passed the message on and then scampered off. He didn't know where they had got to. Even Hugo had abandoned him for the sake of going outside and getting fresh air. Sitting in a chair, he rubbed his temples, still feeling irritated. He looked up when Charlie and Joey reappeared.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

They sat down beside him and Joey waved two bandaged fingers at hm.

"What happened?"

"When Ruby was giving birth, she held onto me a little too tight."

He stared at his daughter's girlfriend. She had an injured hand and yet she didn't care. All that seemed to matter to her were the people around her. And Ruby had wanted her in the room, close enough to do her damage while she was experiencing the most painful thing, he was told, that a woman had to go through. Perhaps he really had misread the whole situation. Neither of his girls had ever suffered fools gladly. Even with a shady past, as far as he was concerned, Joey had saved Charlie's life, she'd welcomed her teenage daughter into her life and obviously loved Ruby very much. He swallowed and looked Joey directly in the eye.

"I'm sorry for how I've treated you, Joey," he said. "And I mean it. It's not that I have to. I think... I think I got you wrong."

Joey stared for a few moments.

"Thank you," she said. "I hope that we can get along better now. I do... I do understand where you're coming from. I'm probably not good enough for Charlie..."

Charlie opened her mouth to object but Joey continued.

"She's better than me in a thousand ways. But I love her with all my heart and because she's so special, I know I will never ever let a day pass without feeling like the luckiest person alive to have her in my life. I want to spend the rest of my days making her happy. So I hope you'll eventually be able to accept me as part of your family."

Ross nodded. He reached out his hand. She shook it with her undamaged right hand and they smiled politely at one another.

"Thank goodness for that!" Charlie said, genuinely thrilled. "So does this mean you're definitely coming to our wedding, Dad?"

"I wouldn't miss it."

"Will you walk me down the aisle?"

"Yes please," Ross replied.

***

"Well, you're the cutest Bump I ever did see," Abbey said, nervously holding her cousin.

Ruby giggled, smiling warmly at her niece.

"That's his name then?" she asked.

"Yeah," Abbey decided. "You can all call him Joseph but to me, he'll always be Bump. It's how we bonded."

Morag looked through the window of the door and saw her husband sitting with Charlie and Joey. Excusing herself, she hoped that she might be able to send her husband in, so long as he had done the right thing by Charlie's girlfriend. She smiled as she approached them.

"Everything is forgiven and forgotten about," Joey told her.

"Well, that's good news," Morag said brightly. "Why don't you go in and see your grandson?"

Ross leapt to his feet and hurried through the door, eager to see Ruby's bundle of joy. Ruby looked up quickly when she saw her Dad enter the room.

"Did you apologise?" she asked.

"I did. And she accepted. Can I see him now?"

Abbey carefully handed the baby back to Ruby who cuddled him in her arms as he slept, having had an exhausting time over the past few hours, arriving into the world. Ross crept forward and Xavier stepped back a little to give him space.

"Dad, meet Joseph Charles Austin Buckton," Ruby said.

"Joseph?" Ross said, immediately feeling the need to object to who he was obviously named after.

"Yes," Ruby said firmly. "Joseph, meet your Granddad."

Ross swallowed his criticism and smiled into the child's face. He really was beautiful.

"We'll give you some time," Xavier said.

He and Abbey left the room to give Ross some bonding time with the baby.

***

Hugo came back into the hospital, yawning.

"Xave, are you ready to go home?"

Xavier frowned. He wanted to spend as much time with his girlfriend and his son as he could.

"Um..."

"We can drop you back later if you want," Charlie offered.

Ruby would have to stay in hospital overnight and they would be collecting her in the morning.

"Great," Hugo said, disappearing without another word.

"Thank you," Xavier said.

"I can't believe Bump's really here," Abbey said, sitting down beside her mother who put her arm around her.

"It's pretty amazing, hey?" she agreed.

***

An hour later, everyone had had their turn holding Joseph. Noting that Ruby was tired, Charlie suggested that they leave her to sleep and come back tomorrow, ready to take her and her son home. Everyone said goodbye to both of them and filed out of the room.

"Hey, um, Charlie?" Ross said awkwardly when they were in the corridor.

The others walked ahead. When they were out of hearing distance, Ross stuttered over what to say.

"I thought um... perhaps I could um... maybe try and find some way of bonding with um... with Joey."

Charlie's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yes. I meant what I said before and I'd like to get to know her better. Is there anything you could think of that I could suggest to do with her?"

"She likes sailing," Charlie said. "And fishing. She likes fishing. It's part of where she comes from."

Ross nodded. They were two things he also enjoyed.

"Okay, well, maybe I'll ask her to go fishing or something one day."

"That'd be nice. Thanks for making the effort, Dad."


	105. Chapter 105

**Chapter One Hundred and Five**

Having dropped Xavier home, Charlie, Joey and Abbey returned to their own house. Abbey couldn't stop talking about how beautiful Bump was and how she couldn't wait for him and Ruby to come home.

"We'll collect them in the morning," Charlie said.

"It's so exciting! I never realised how exciting it all is!" Abbey chirped.

Charlie chuckled and hugged her.

"And she was so brave," Abbey continued. "I don't think I could ever do that!"

"I was brave too!" Joey joked, holding up her hand.

Charlie put her free arm around Joey. Abbey held her hand and frowned.

"You were definitely brave," she said. "Ruby really did that?"

"I think she was in worse pain than me," said Joey.

Abbey nodded and hugged them both goodnight, scampering up to her room with images of her new baby cousin in her head.

"Ready for bed?" Charlie asked.

"I'm not actually that tired," Joey began.

Then she caught Charlie's look.

"Oh," she said. "Always!"

Holding hands, they hurried up the stairs and into their room, closing the door firmly behind them. Pausing only to turn a lamp on, Charlie shrugged herself out of her clothes. Joey perched on the end of the bed, wondering if she would ever stop getting excited when she saw her girlfriend stripping off. Grinning, she didn't think she ever would. Charlie moved to kneel at the foot of the bed. She kissed Joey's broken fingers gently and then began to undress her, careful not to hurt her any more.

"These are going to be tricky," Joey frowned.

"We managed with half my body being broken," Charlie pointed out. "I'm sure we'll cope."

Joey smirked. Charlie's injuries after Skip's attack had certainly not got in their way. She remembered the way Charlie had sulked when her lip was too damaged to kiss and how thrilled she had been when it healed – not to mention the way she'd dragged her into the bedroom the moment her casts came off.

"We'll cope," she decided, allowing her partner to finish the job of undressing her.

She lay back on the mattress, pulling Charlie with her. Their bodies pressed close together as they kissed. Both of Charlie's hands began to wander and one of Joey's did.

***

Ruby couldn't sleep. Her baby boy was sleeping beside her in a hospital cradle and she just couldn't stop looking at him. He had a wisp of blonde hair; big blue eyes and a perfect little nose and mouth. Everything about him was tiny and delicate. She didn't think she had ever loved anything so completely as she loved Joseph. It was strange to think that just under nine months ago, she'd been trying to come to terms with this miracle. He had been an accident, the result of two teenagers getting carried away while their guardians weren't around. She remembered her fear over telling Charlie and Joey and her certainty that they were disappointed in her. But now, she couldn't have wished for anything to turn out different. Joseph was perfect and she was going to love him for the rest of her life.

***

In the morning, Charlie and Joey woke to Abbey being monstrously loud in a not so subtle bid to wake them up so that they could get quickly to the hospital to bring Ruby and Bump home. Groaning, Charlie hauled herself out of bed and wrapped her robe around her.

"I'm up!" she hollered.

"Oh, did I wake you?" Abbey said innocently when her mother arrived in the kitchen.

Charlie chuckled and headed for the kettle.

"Is Joey up?" Abbey asked.

"She's coming!" Joey grumbled, wandering into the kitchen.

"Oh, cheer up," Abbey said brightly. "Ruby and Bump are coming home. That's exciting, right?"

Charlie sat down at the kitchen table and watched her daughter with affection. She had become part of their family so quickly and all of the trauma and sense of loss that had once filled their relationship had dissipated. Charlie didn't think she would ever forgive herself for giving Abbey up when she was born but it seemed like it was ancient history to Abbey. She understood the circumstances and she was grateful that they had been reunited later in life. Charlie was thrilled that she was staying for Christmas and she desperately hoped that Christmas would turn into forever. While she knew that Abbey had parents of her own, parents that loved her and wanted her back, Charlie couldn't help but want to keep her for herself.

***

A week later, the family had just about settled into a routine. Ruby took charge of most night time feeds, except on days when she was left completely shattered. Then, Charlie and Joey took over like good aunties. Abbey was besotted with the baby and raced home from school every day in order to play with him. Xavier had been granted the week off school as some kind of paternity leave and he appeared at the house in the mornings and didn't leave until late. It was desperately important to him to bond with his son and he'd spent most of Ruby's pregnancy worried that he wouldn't get the chance, as he wouldn't be living with him. He felt closer to his girlfriend than ever before. She was working up the courage to ask Charlie and Joey if he might stay the night sometimes. Joey arrived home from work to find Ruby curled up on the couch with Joseph in his arms. Ross was in the armchair, cooing over his grandson.

"Hey," Joey greeted.

Ruby looked up and smiled.

"I saw this and got it for him," Joey said, handing over a small stuffed toy.

It was a little kangaroo, not dissimilar to her own 'Roo'. She and her cuddly toy had been reunited when she'd visited her family to say goodbye to her mother and he had remained faithfully on the bed every day since. Now, it seemed that baby Joseph had one too.

"Thanks, Joey!" Ruby said, touched by the gesture.

She showed the baby who grasped it with his tiny fingers. Joey beamed at him and took her seat beside her future sister in law.

"That's very sweet of you," Ross said to Joey in a continuing bid to be nice to her.

She smiled and thanked him, continuing the conversation by asking how he was.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," Ross said. "And you? How was work?"

"It was fine. Had some tricky newcomers at the centre today but it's all part of the challenge really."

"Charlie... um... she tells me you like to fish," Ross ventured.

Ruby eyed him curiously.

"Yeah, I learnt when I was tiny. It was the one thing that my Dad and I actually used to enjoy together."

"Well, it's something I enjoy as well so I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out sometime?"

Joey's eyes lit up.

"I thought perhaps it'd give us a chance to get to know each other better."

He smiled and she returned the gesture.

"That'd be lovely."

"How about this weekend?"

"Sounds awesome," Joey said.

Ruby smiled to herself. Her father was obviously taking his apology seriously.

***

Later that evening, Joey busied herself with making dinner for herself, Charlie, Ruby, Xavier and Abbey. Ruby was curled up asleep in her room in Xavier's arms while Joseph slept in the cot beside the bed. Abbey was knee deep in homework, musing about getting pregnant so she didn't have to go to school. Charlie had swiftly corrected any notion she had about it and then wandered into the kitchen to be with her partner.

"Your Dad's invited me to go fishing with him at the weekend," Joey said.

Charlie raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he was really sweet actually."

Charlie smiled and sat down, pulling Joey by the hands into her lap. Joey straddled her and wrapped her arms around her neck, placing a kiss on her lips.

"Did you know he was going to do that?"

"I know he was thinking about something," Charlie explained. "He asked what your interests were."

Joey beamed at her.

"Do you think we might be able to start getting along?" she asked.

"I certainly hope so," Charlie replied.


	106. Chapter 106

_Sorry it's late. A foiled attempt at a Big Brother audition and a day of exhaustion later... we're back to Joey and Ross's fishing trip. Enjoy! xxx_

**Chapter One Hundred and Six**

The weekend arrived and Joey felt a little nervous. She and Ross had arranged to go fishing and she knew that it was her one chance to get into his good graces and give Charlie what she wanted – her girlfriend and her father to get along.

"It'll be fine," Charlie said, reading her expression.

Joey frowned and picked at her breakfast. It felt weird seeing Ross without Charlie. It wasn't something she ever thought would happen.

"Are you sure you won't come with us?" she asked.

"That'd kind of infringe on the bonding time," Charlie pointed out.

"Why does he even want to bond with me anyway?" Joey wondered. "He doesn't like me!"

"Yeah, that's kind of the point," Charlie said. "He's making an effort."

Joey nodded. They both leapt up when they heard Joseph crying on the baby monitor. Ruby had been up all night with him and they'd been determined to give her a rest this morning. Heading upstairs, they entered the baby's room only to find that Abbey had got there first and was gently rocking him back to sleep. Abbey was particularly good with Bump and her love for him was clear. Charlie knew that her daughter was sticking around until Christmas but she desperately hoped it would be longer. She hoped it would be forever. Smiling affectionately at her daughter and feeling Joey's arm around her waist, Charlie watched Abbey settled Joseph down, turn around and then turn pink. Leaving the room together, they stood out in the hall.

"I didn't realise you were there," Abbey said, still blushing.

"It was cute," Charlie said.

"Shut up!" Abbey hissed.

Charlie laughed and they headed back downstairs together while Joey sang the words 'cute as a button' repeatedly.

"Joey!" Abbey complained. "Aren't you meant to be bonding with Ross over some smelly fish or something?"

"I'm going! I'm going!" Joey chuckled, kissing Charlie on the mouth and skipping out of the house.

The moment she was outside, the nerves hit her again.

***

Charlie and Abbey sat down on the couch together. Joseph was awake but yawning and they were taking it in turns to cuddle him while Ruby continued to sleep upstairs.

"You've got one hell of a set of lungs, Bump," Abbey said, kissing the top of the baby's head.

Charlie smiled affectionately at them. Abbey looked up curiously.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"No, what?"

"I'm just feeling really happy right now," Charlie said.

Abbey smiled at her and waited for her to continue.

"I never thought my life would turn out like this. I never thought I'd fall in love, especially not with someone as amazing as Joey. And I never thought my Dad would be big enough to accept that I'm gay and attempt to get to know my partner. And I was so worried for Ruby when she got pregnant but she's taken so nicely to it and Joseph is just beautiful. I can't even believe how much I love him. And now, on top of everything, I've got you back in my life. And that makes me feel complete."

Abbey's smiled widened.

"Complete?" she said. "Really?"

"Giving you up was the worst mistake I ever made. I mean, maybe it was a good thing. I couldn't have given you the life that your parents gave you. I was so young and I was going through the worst time of my life. I was so broken by what happened. I loved you so much but I knew I wasn't able to be the mother you deserved. But now you're in my life and I've been allowed to see the beautiful young woman you've come to be. I've felt so close to you since you moved in."

"I feel really close to you too," Abbey said a little nervously. "I never thought I'd ever call you Mum but that's how I feel about you now."

Charlie smiled.

"I feel like we're a family."

"We are," Charlie said sincerely.

***

Joey and Ross sat side by side in identical chairs, fishing rods hanging over the side of the pier. It was quiet and both parties were trying to feel comfortable with each other.

"So where did you grow up?" Ross asked.

"In a little fishing village a few hours away from here," Joey said. "Hence the..."

She gestured to the fishing rod. He nodded.

"Did you like it there?"

"You looked into my file when I first met Charlie," she reminded him. "You must have gathered that it wasn't fun."

"Yeah," he said, sighing heavily. "Sorry. I didn't think."

"It's okay," Joey replied brightly. "How about you? Where did you grow up?"

"In the city," he said. "Born, raised, worked, lived, married, raised my kids there."

"It must have been nice to be so settled," Joey said.

"You moved around a lot, I seem to remember," Ross said.

Now that Joey had mentioned that Ross had examined her police file with a fine tooth comb, it didn't seem to be a problem to refer to it now.

"Yeah, I've lived all around Australia," Joey said.

"Ever abroad?"

"Sadly not," she told him. "I only got a passport a few months ago. Charlie made me."

"For your honeymoon?" Ross asked.

"Oh, we've decided not to go on a honeymoon," Joey explained. "What with everything going on with the kids and everything."

"You've really taken Ruby and Abbey on as your own family, haven't you?" Ross remarked.

"I love them," Joey said honestly.

"But you're really not going on a honeymoon?"

"We may go away eventually but now isn't the right time. Plus... pricey. We've only just bought the house and everything."

Ross nodded and looked out at the water for a few moments.

"And you never had a passport until now?"

"I've never been out of the country," Joey said, gazing out to sea. "One time I nearly got to go to Hawaii but it didn't work out."

"What happened?"

"My folks couldn't afford for all of us to go," Joey explained, focussing her attention on the horizon. "It was my brother's birthday and we were all going to go away for a couple of weeks but..."

She shrugged.

"The trip was cancelled?"

"They went. I stayed behind."

Ross looked horrified.

"How old were you?"

"Eleven."

Ross nearly dropped his rod.

"Did you at least get to have fun with a cool aunt or something?" he asked.

"No, I just stayed home for a couple of weeks," Joey said.

Her tone was cheery, as if there was nothing wrong with her statement. Ross turned to study her face.

"What?" she asked, turning to face him in confusion.

"Your parents left an eleven year old to fend for herself for two weeks?" he asked.

Joey shrugged.

"It pales in comparison," she said. "Anyway, let's talk about something more cheerful."

She smiled and he found himself smiling back. He was surprised to find that when he wasn't thinking about the gay thing, she was actually a nice person. She was sweet and funny and she was obviously made of strong stuff.

***

"My parents... my other parents keep asking me about Christmas and when they're going to see me," Abbey ventured.

Ruby was awake and mostly functional, sat on the couch feeding the baby. Xavier was due round later but for now, the girls and Joseph were in the living room, enjoying not doing very much at all.

"Oh. Do you want to go to them?" Charlie asked, her heart sinking.

"I was hoping the might come here. If that was okay with you guys, of course."

Ruby watched their interactions carefully.

"Well, it'd be fine with me. We'd obviously have to talk to Joey about it. Rubes?"

Ruby nodded in agreement.

"I don't mind. Actually, I was kind of wondering..."

"We're going to end up spending Christmas with Hugo and Davina, aren't we?" Charlie said worriedly.

"No! No, I wouldn't do that to you. I just wondered if Xavier could come round for a little bit on Christmas Day so that he can spend some time with me and Joseph."

"Of course he can," Charlie said, relieved that despite the family connection, she didn't have to deal with Xavier's brother or his nasty little girlfriend.

Ruby smiled her gratitude.

"And as long as Joey agrees, my other parents can come over?" Abbey checked.

"I don't see why that would be a problem," said Charlie.

She had to tell herself every day that she couldn't steal Abbey away from her adoptive parents. Abbey might be biologically hers but she had only been a parent for a few months. It was going well but at the end of the days, it was the Matthews' that had raised her and brought her up. If she had any hope of keeping her in her life, she had to play nicely and not be selfish.

"Thanks... Mum," Abbey said.

Ruby's eyes widened. Abbey smiled. She had called Charlie 'Mum' before but this was the first public declaration of who she was and what she meant to her. Charlie blushed and suddenly felt very strange, giddy with happiness. She beamed at Abbey and then excused herself on the pretence of making lunch when really she was trying get her head and heart back together.

***

It was early evening when Ross and Joey returned home. Charlie eyed them for war wounds but both were smiling and it looked like they had had a good time. Joey immediately launched into a description of the huge fish she and Ross had caught and thrown back. Excusing herself after several comments from Ruby, Abbey and Xavier about her aroma, Joey headed for a shower while Ross told them they'd just have to put up with his own stench. At that point, the teenagers skipped up the stairs quickly and merrily in order to check on Joseph.

"So, how do you feel about Joey now?" Charlie asked, setting a cup of coffee down in front of her father and taking a seat opposite him.

"I admit it," he said. "She's a lovely girl."

Charlie couldn't keep the smile from her face. It was what she had longed to hear for their entire relationship.

"She's certainly entertaining and she thinks the world of you and the kids," he said. "And I do appreciate that she's stuck by you through everything."

He gestured towards the doorway that Abbey had exited from.

"And I didn't realise what kind of life she's had. I mean, I had a vague idea but... did you know she was abandoned for two whole weeks by her family so they could take a holiday? They just left her behind!"

He looked absolutely outraged. Charlie nodded and sipped her own drink.

"They did things like that to her all the time," she said. "I don't think I even know the half of what went on. She doesn't talk about it much. But they hurt her. Badly. And they're unapologetic about it. Only her mother ever wanted to make things right."

"She just talked about it so casually, like it didn't matter. Like it wasn't a terrible thing for them to do," Ross said.

"Sometimes I think she doesn't even realise how badly they treated her," Charlie told him. "She's never had anything to compare it to. We talked about having a child, you know, before we found Abbey and she said no at first. She said she was afraid of treating a kid the way she was treated because she doesn't know any different. But I know she wouldn't. She's amazing with Abbey. And Ruby. And Joseph. Having a child is back on the cards again. I hope we can."

She eyed her father curiously.

"Would you object?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"I want to make up for the way I've been acting since you and Joey got together. I want to walk you down the aisle. I want to be supportive of any decision you make to have a child. I want to be part of Abbey's life if she'll let me. And..."

They were interrupted when Joey appeared in the doorway with wet hair and fresh clothes.

"And I'd like to pay for you to go on a honeymoon whenever you're ready to go."


	107. Chapter 107

_Hi everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Just to warn you, I am gearing up the close of this story at Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen. If you were reading a book, you'd know that it'd be over soon so I thought it nicer to let you know now. But don't worry, there's plenty more to come as Christmas rolls around and Charlie and Joey prepare to tie the knot. Enjoy! IJKS xxx_

***

**Chapter One Hundred and Seven**

"Oh, Mr Buckton, I really didn't say any of that to try and get you to pay for..."

"I know," Ross said. "If you had, I wouldn't be doing it."

Joey moved to put her arm around Charlie's shoulders. She couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Getting along so well with Ross was a very new experience.

"That's really sweet of you, Dad," Charlie said. "Thank you."

He smiled sincerely, hoping he could make up for the way he had let his daughter down in the past.

***

Charlie was absorbed in paperwork when she felt something tap her head. She looked up, saw a balled up piece of paper on her desk and Angelo sitting across from her, trying not to laugh. She pondered her next move and opted to continue working. A few moments later, she felt another tap. This time Jack and Angelo were both laughing. She offered them a stern look before Watson threw yet another balled up piece of paper at her.

"You do realise we're adults here?" Charlie said with mock grumpiness. "You know, adult police officers, employed to protect and serve our town. Any of that ring a bell?"

Angelo threw another piece of paper.

"Right, this is war!" Charlie declared, lobbing one of the balls back at him.

***

"So, are you and Charlie all prepared for the wedding day?" Miles asked as he and Joey walked out of the youth centre together at the end of the working day.

"The wedding? Are you kidding me? We have to deal with Christmas first!" Joey laughed.

Miles chuckled.

"Truthfully, no," Joey admitted. "Who knew there was so much to do in order to get married? I thought it was just showing up and saying 'I do'."

"You'd be surprised!"

"I'm constantly surprised! If I'm honest, I'd just keep it small but Charlie's all in love with the idea of a big celebration and a big party and everything and I want to give her everything she wants."

***

Ruby stood in the middle of a very messy kitchen looking puzzled and uncertain. Abbey wandered in, whistling to herself and stopped short as soon as she saw the mess.

"Ooh, Mum's gonna kill you!" she declared.

Ruby looked horrified.

"She can't kill me. Then Joseph would be an orphan. Well, he wouldn't be an orphan because he'd have Xavier but he wouldn't have a mother and he needs a mother..." she rambled.

"Ruby, breathe," Abbey instructed.

She took another look around.

"Seriously, did a bomb go off in here?"

"I was trying to make dinner," Ruby explained. "It was a surprise for Charlie and Joey."

"It certainly will be a surprise!" Abbey remarked.

"I wanted to do something nice for them."

"Then why didn't you just order take-away? I mean, your cooking is..."

Ruby glared at her niece.

"Delicious!" Abbey corrected herself quickly. "Absolutely wonderful."

Ruby frowned.

"Will you help me clean up?" she asked.

Abbey sighed dramatically.

"Sure," she agreed. "But you totally owe me!"

They began to tidy up, each starting on different ends of the large kitchen.

"So what are you trying to suck up to them for anyway?" Abbey wondered.

"I'm not!" Ruby lied.

***

"Hey, darling, do you want to go for a drink?" Charlie asked when Joey picked up the phone.

"Sure, that sounds awesome. I've just finished work so I'll be there in about ten minutes," Joey said cheerfully, changing course as she talked.

"Great. I'm nearly there. I'll get us a table."

***

Davina looked between Angelo and Watson who had been behaving like naughty school children since before she'd arrived. She offered them her disdain but mostly she was unhappy about being left out of their childish games. She shifted in her seat and focussed on her work, attempting to ignore the giggling. It annoyed her to think that they had made up after everything that happened between all of them and she was still left with no friend in the world aside from Hugo who was grating on her last nerve more and more as each day passed.

***

"Hey, Charlie," Aden greeted cheerfully when the police officer approached the bar.

"Hi, Aden."

"Two white wines?" he suggested.

"Either you know Joey's joining me or you think I'm an alcoholic," she teased.

"The former, of course," he grinned.

"Two white wines please," she confirmed.

"Where is my best buddy anyway?" Aden wondered as he set about pouring their drinks.

"She's just finishing work," Charlie explained.

"I'm here!" Joey hollered, making both Charlie and Aden laugh.

It always amused Charlie, who was so conscious about what people thought, that Joey didn't care who looked at her – or why, or how. Charlie was greeted with a hug and she immediately accepted her wine.

"How's it going, Ade? Still missing me behind the bar?"

"I honestly don't know how I survive each passing day," he grinned.

She smirked back at him and threw herself onto the stool beside Charlie. They waved as Alf arrived.

"Oh, girls, I'm glad I ran into you," the older gentleman said.

They looked at him inquisitively.

"Have you found somewhere for your wedding reception yet?" he asked.

"No," Joey said with a shake of her head.

"Well, I'd like to offer you this place for free – as my wedding gift to you."

Both women beamed at him. It was yet another thing to check off their huge to do list.

***

"They're back!" Abbey hissed when she heard Charlie or Joey's key in the lock.

Ruby looked frantically around the kitchen and offered her niece a brief hug of thanks. They had cleaned up remarkably well, just about salvaged dinner and then set the table all before Joseph woke up from his nap. Now, Ruby was playing with her son while Abbey kept a lookout for the grownups.

"Hey guys..." Charlie said.

She paused.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Abbey stepped up to take their jackets and escort them to the table.

"Seriously, what have you done?" Joey asked worriedly.

"I'm offended!" Abbey said. "Aren't you offended, Ruby?"

"Offended!" Ruby confirmed.

"Guys, it's been a long day. Please don't double team us in that way that you do!" Charlie pleaded clutching her forehead.

She and Joey sat at either end of the table while Ruby bundled Joseph into his high chair. Joey became immediately distracted with pulling faces at him.

"Ruby cooked you dinner," Abbey declared.

"Oh, that's what smells so... delicious!" Charlie lied. "Doesn't it, Joey?"

"Huh? What? Oh, yeah, delicious," Joey confirmed.

"Then we'll serve it," Ruby said, pulling Abbey into the kitchen with her.

Charlie and Joey exchanged worried glances before Joey stood to cuddle the baby. Ruby and Abbey quickly returned to the room with a plate for each of them containing what looked like it was meant to be lasagne.

"It looks great, Rubes. What have you done?" Charlie asked.

Joey popped Joseph back into his chair and Ruby presented him with some mushy looking food that he immediately ignored. Pulling faces at his auntie was far more entertaining.

"I haven't done anything," Ruby insisted.

"But?" Joey quizzed.

"But I was hoping for a favour."

***

Xavier sat in his living room, pretending to watch television. He kept one eye on his phone at all times.

"What's up with you?" Hugo asked from the kitchen, having noticed how distracted his brother was. "You haven't knocked up another girl, have you?"

Xavier just glared.

***

"No way," Charlie said firmly, her fork paused half way between plate and mouth.

"But..."

"No! I am not spending Christmas Day with _him _and _her_! No!"

"But they're family now..." Ruby whined.

"You said to me only weeks ago that you wouldn't ask..."

"Please?"

Ruby offered her best wounded puppy look. Charlie chewed her lip and looked at Joey who looked equally as unhappy about Ruby's suggestion. She sighed.

"So, you're seriously proposing that we have Xavier's entire family round for Christmas Day?" she asked. "Including Hugo and Davina?"

Joey pulled a face. Joseph grinned. Abbey watched the entire conversation as if it were a three-way tennis match.

"It'll be fun. It'll be a party!" Ruby enthused. "With the whole family here... you know, Jack and Martha, Tony and Rachel, Gina... you won't even notice Hugo and Davina are there."

"We'll notice," Charlie and Joey said in unison.

"Please?"

"And we're expected to cook for all these people?" Charlie asked.

Joey cleared her throat.

"Joey's meant to cook for all these people?" Charlie corrected herself.

She had swiftly taken on the role of meal provider in their family and Ruby's lasagne was proof as to why. Even the teenager herself couldn't seem to stomach it.

"Well, I thought we could have a barbeque," Ruby said brightly. "We could have a party outside, people can take it in turns to cook. It'll be fun."

Charlie looked at Joey who looked set to surrender.

"Fine," she sighed.

"I love you!" Ruby shrieked, leaping out of her seat, surprising the baby and hugging her sister and sister in law.

Then she dashed off to call her boyfriend.


	108. Chapter 108

**Chapter One Hundred and Eight**

Charlie's nerves were in overdrive as she waited for Eric and Jayne, Abbey's adoptive parents to arrive at their house. It was Christmas Eve and as arranged, they were staying over at Charlie and Joey's house to be with their daughter until New Year. Then Charlie didn't know what was going to happen. She was desperately hoping that Abbey would decide to stay in Summer Bay with her but she was aware that a decision such as that would break Eric and Jayne's hearts. Whatever Abbey decided, someone was going to get hurt.

"As long as it's not Abbey," the policewoman said to herself. "That's the important thing."

Perched on her and Joey's bed, she froze as she heard a knock at the front door. Abbey yelled that she would get it and Charlie listened to her bound across the lounge to greet the parents who had loved her and raised her since she was a baby and whom she hadn't seen in months. Charlie remained tense and upstairs. Sitting on the bed, she listened to high pitched greetings as Abbey hugged her parents and introduced them to Ruby, Joseph and Joey.

"Where's mmm... Charlie?" Abbey asked.

Charlie's heart sank, wondering whether her baby girl had considered calling her Mum and then changed or mind or if, in her excitement at seeing her 'real' parents, she'd forgotten who her biological mother was.

"I'll go get her," Joey offered.

Charlie flopped back on the bed and shut her eyes. Joey entered the room and sighed. She crawled over to the bed and covered Charlie's body with her own. She kissed her and was pleased when she responded.

"It's time to make nice," Joey whispered softly.

"I don't want to," Charlie protested.

"Sweetheart, whatever happens, you're going to need to get along with them. Come on..."

She kissed her again and pulled her into a sitting position. Climbing off the bed, she guided Charlie to her feet. Kissing her one more time, Joey took Charlie by the hand and led her downstairs.

***

Late evening rolled around and Abbey, Ruby and Xavier were giddy at the prospect of tomorrow bringing Christmas with it. Their house had become a very excitable one. Most of everyone's cash had gone on little Joseph, determined to spoil him on his first Christmas Day.

"Does your energy ever burn out?" Joey asked, chuckling at Abbey who was jumping about and whining about opening a present early.

The teenager had resisted pointing out that in her family, it was a tradition to open one gift the night before and she was glad her parents hadn't mentioned it. But she couldn't quite resist not nagging for it. Christmas was just so exciting.

"Nope," she said proudly. "It doesn't."

"Well, I think it needs to," Charlie told her. "It's almost midnight. All three of you should be asleep."

"Charlie, I'm sixteen," Ruby pointed out. "And I'm a mother. You cannot seriously be telling me that I have to go to bed!"

"You're lucky we're letting your boyfriend stay over tonight," Charlie reminded her. "You may be a Mum but you're still my kid sister. Bed."

Ruby and Abbey pulled faces. Xavier leapt up rather keenly, hoping that Christmas might bring him something special when going to sleep with Ruby.

"Goodnight," Ruby said in an exaggerated fashion, waving to everyone and stomping upstairs.

Xavier hurried after her. Abbey said goodnight in much the same fashion, kissing each adult in turn.

"See you on Christmas Day!" she sang cheerfully, scampering upstairs.

Charlie chewed her lip when she realised that the decision to send the teenagers to bed left her and Joey alone with Eric and Jayne. The foursome looked at each other a little awkwardly.

"I guess now is a good time to talk," Eric ventured.

Charlie nodded.

"We want her back," Jayne admitted.

"I know."

"But you want to keep her?"

Charlie nodded again and twisted her fingers together in her lap. Joey reached out to hold her hand and stop her getting too agitated.

"I guess at the end of the day that'll be Abbey's decision," Joey said.

Everyone nodded.

"She seems happy here," Eric admitted. "She was so lost and confused towards the end of her time with us but she seems so settled now. You've both done well with her."

"Thanks," Charlie said shyly.

"I'm glad you've had a chance to get to know each other," Jayne said. "Even if it meant..."

"Thank you for giving us this time together," Charlie said honestly. "It's meant the world to me."

"If you... I don't want to come across as harsh but if you loved her so much and you were so desperate to keep her in your life then why did you...?"

"Give her away?"

Jayne nodded.

"I was young. I'd been forced into sex. It wasn't really a decision I was capable of making. I couldn't keep her."

Joey held her hand a little tighter.

"I get that," Jayne said. "I'm sorry for everything you went through."

"And I'm grateful that she was lucky enough to end up with parents as good as you. I love her with my whole heart and I always have but I couldn't have given her the life you have. She's grown up happy and strong and healthy. You've been amazing to her. And I know things are awkward right now because we all want to be her parents but I hope there's a way to share somehow."

Eric nodded.

"Me too," he said.

***

"Hey, come here," Joey said gently when she saw a pyjama-clad Charlie sink down on the edge of the bed and sigh.

She came to sit behind her and moved her long, dark hair to one side. She began to rub her shoulders. Charlie closed her eyes and leant back into her girlfriend's embrace.

"It's Christmas," Joey whispered. "It's a time for love and laughter. So let's not fret about Abbey and her other parents, okay? Let's have a good day tomorrow..."

She kissed Charlie's neck.

"And a wonderful night tonight."

Charlie opened her eyes and turned around, capturing Joey's mouth with hers. Joey guided her back onto the bed and moved to straddle her. She kissed her lips and let her tongue trace gentle patterns down her neck and to her collarbone. She expertly unbuttoned Charlie's pyjama top buttons. Charlie shrugged herself out of it and Joey gently used her lips and fingertips to tease her exposed chest. Charlie moaned. Joey always knew exactly the right things to do and say to make her happy. She relaxed into Joey's touch, arching her back in order to offer as much contact as possible. Joey kept her mouth paying attention to Charlie's breasts as her hand slipped down beneath her pyjama bottoms and inside her underwear. She was delighted with the obvious excitement Charlie was eliciting. She stroked her gently, teasing and playing, exploring the body she knew so well. Slipping inside her, she smiled and buried her face in her neck, kissing her roughly as their passion grew. Charlie began to thrust against Joey's fingers, seeking deeper contact as her lust overpowered her. Joey worked hard to pleasure her, moving her mouth to Charlie's and stealing a kiss that took both their breaths away. Joey penetrated Charlie faster and smiled into their kiss as she brought her to climax. Falling back on the bed together, gasping for breath, they kissed again. Joey caught sight of the clock on the bedside table. It was 00:02.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," she said.

"Merry Christmas," Charlie replied.

***

The following morning was spent opening gifts and wishing each other Merry Christmas. Ruby and Xavier loved waking up together and spending a significant amount of time helping their son open presents. They felt like a proper family. Xavier had worried that it would be weird not waking up in his own house with his own blood kin but somehow, this was more special. Ross and Morag arrived early to spend time with their kids and grandchild and they spent a gracious amount of time chatting to Eric and Jayne. Joey and Charlie enjoyed making a light breakfast for everybody and celebrating their first Christmas in their new home. By one o'clock, everyone else arrived in an entourage. Charlie and Joey forced themselves to greet both Hugo and Davina with some level of warmth. It was Christmas after all.

***

In the afternoon heat, the Buckton, Matthews, Holden and Austin families were all crammed into the back garden enjoying a barbeque. Joey, Ross and Jack took it in turns to cook and serve the food and everyone seemed to be having a nice time. Ruby and Xavier joyfully played with their baby boy and Abbey was playing the dutiful cousin. She flitted between her parents as equally as she could, knowing that both sets felt insecure about what she was going to do concerning her living arrangements. She knew she needed to sit down with both of them and talk it through but she didn't feel quite ready.

***

Hugo sat down with Jack and Martha, enjoying his lunch.

"Where's Davina?" Jack asked.

Hugo shrugged. They hadn't been getting on so well lately and if he didn't think it would lose him one of his only friends in Summer Bay, he would have broken up with her already. He was seriously considering moving on and out of town and starting again.

***

Ruby, Abbey, Xavier, Brendan and Joseph were seated in a circle. Mother and Father were supporting Joseph in sitting up as he wasn't old enough to do it by himself. Both were smiling at how good Brendan was with his nephew. He was gentle and loving and it was sweet to see. Xavier patted his brother on the back as he continued to play peek-a-boo with Joseph.

***

Joey exited the bathroom, having washed her heads. She wandered back through the house humming to herself when she bumped into Davina.

"Hey," the blonde greeted.

Joey frowned, wondering why she'd ever thought she was a nice enough person to date Watson. All she could be glad of now was that her friend's heart had healed and she was happily dating Star.

"Nice set up you've got here," Davina said.

"Yeah," Joey said, not quite sure what she meant. "It's a nice house."

"I mean you living off Charlie."

"I don't live off Charlie!" Joey snapped.

"You really expect me to believe that a youth worker pays equal share into this place as a cop?"

Joey nudged past her, not wanting to talk about it anymore. She paid the same amount towards their small mortgage as Charlie did but she wasn't about to justify herself to Davina. The policewoman caught hold of Joey's wrist and pulled her towards her.

"What are you doing?" Joey said, protesting against her touch.

"Don't you think you'd have more fun with me than her?"

"Are you crazy?" Joey snapped.

Davina moved in to try and kiss her. Joey pushed her roughly away.

"Get the hell away from me!" she bellowed.

***

Out in the garden, everyone exchanged worried looks. Charlie raced inside, fretting over what Eric and Jayne would think if there was a ruckus on Christmas Day.

"What's going on?" she demanded, looking between her girlfriend and the woman she loathed. "We've got guests. Could you keep it down? I don't want Abbey's parents to think badly of me."

"The bitch tried to kiss me!" Joey said, wiping her mouth in disgust.

"Get out," Charlie said, marching Davina towards the door.

***

From the grass, Xavier looked up at his brother.

"I think Charlie's manhandling your girlfriend out the door," he said.

Hugo shrugged and continued eating. He couldn't be bothered to keep defending her.


	109. Chapter 109

**Chapter One Hundred and Nine**

"Abbey, we've been skirting round the issue of where you're going to live since Christmas Eve," Jayne ventured. "I think we need to talk about it."

It was the day before New Year's Eve and Eric and Jayne had taken their daughter out to the Diner for dinner. Abbey nodded and pushed a potato around on her plate.

"Maybe Charlie and Joey should be here if we're going to talk about that," she said.

She'd made up her mind and she was terrified of breaking the news to the parents who wouldn't be keeping her full time. It felt strange in a way. Not so long ago, Abbey had felt like the most unloved girl in the entire world and now, she had two sets of parents who wanted to look after her.

"Have you made a decision?" Jayne asked.

"Yes," Abbey said.

Her parents looked at her with expectant eyes, both on the edge of their seats to find out what lay ahead of them all.

"I love you so much. And I think that taking on a child who isn't yours is even more special than creating a child of your own. Anyone can do that, willingly or unwillingly."

She sighed, thinking about what Charlie had endured in order for her to live.

"But I want to stay here."

Jayne fought tears.

"You're not losing me," she said. "I want to come and stay with you during the holidays and visit on weekends and everything. I'll still talk to you on the phone every day. It's just... I'm much more settled here than I've ever been. I have nice friends and you know how besotted I am with baby Joseph. I'm almost enjoying school. I mean, how unlikely is that? But I am. I never ever want to lose you. I love you. But this place feels like home."

***

"Stop fretting," Joey warned as she and Charlie were getting ready for the party.

While nothing was technically going to kick off until twenty-eight hours time, Charlie had convinced Joey to be organised instead of spontaneous for once in her life. Charlie sighed. Her mind wasn't on New Year celebrations. Jayne and Eric were leaving in the morning and she had no idea if Abbey was planning on going with them or not. Her heart was breaking over the thought that she might be.

"Let's talk to her when she gets home," Joey suggested.

She moved to encircle Charlie's waist and she kissed her shoulder.

"Yeah," Charlie agreed. "I just wish that if she's leaving..."

***

Abbey trotted into the house. Leaving the door open, she started to kick out of her shoes. She'd stepped in something icky on the way home and she dreaded to think what it was. Whatever the case, she certainly didn't want to tread it into the carpet. She paused when she heard Charlie's voice in the kitchen.

"... I wish she'd just go."

Fighting tears, Abbey turned around and hurried back out of the house.

***

"It's so hard just waiting to hear that I'm going to lose her," Charlie continued.

Her heart was beating in her ears and she was struggling not to cry.

"I never thought I'd ever have the chance to get to know her and the idea of having to let her go again... It... It hurts so much."

She stopped when she heard a creak. Joey paused too and then ducked her head round the doorframe.

"The front door's open," she said, moving across the room to close it.

Charlie followed.

"Don't tell me it's starting to open by itself as well as creaking to high heaven," she said.

"Okay, I get the nag!" Joey said, poking her tongue out.

She'd been promising to oil the door for weeks. Charlie grinned, grateful to have been distracted from her sorrow. Joey shut the door.

"Okay, lady, we've got a party to set up," Charlie said.

Joey hugged her tightly and kissed her lips.

"Everything's going to be okay."

***

Jayne and Eric were walking hand in hand along the beach. Both were devastated that their daughter had no intention of returning home with them. They'd obviously underestimated the pull of the mother-daughter bond. Still, at least they could take comfort in the fact that their baby girl would be looked after. They'd been unsure of sending her off to a woman who didn't know her and they'd been surprised by Charlie being in a lesbian relationship and having a sister who'd been pregnant at fifteen. They couldn't help but wonder what kind of family Abbey was being welcomed into. But now that they had spent time together, they knew that Charlie was a good Mum and so was Joey. They obviously loved Abbey and wanted to keep her. At least they knew she would never go without.

"Mum! Dad!"

They turned sharply when they heard Abbey's voice ring through the air.

"Abbey?"

The teenager hurried up to them. She looked tearful but was trying to hide it.

"I want to go with you," she said. "And I want to go now."

***

"Hey, darling," Charlie greeted when Abbey and her parents came through the door. "How was your dinner?"

Her daughter glared at her. Charlie swallowed uncertainly.

"Abbey?"

"I'm going back with Mum and Dad," the teenager told her firmly. "Now."

Charlie felt like all her breath had escaped her body.

"What?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm going back with them. I've just come to pack my things."

"But they're not leaving until the first," Charlie protested, devastated to have lost two days.

"Change of plan," Abbey snapped, storming upstairs.

Charlie looked at Jayne and Eric helplessly. She tried not to accuse them of anything but grief was rising in her throat like bile.

"She just came and found us and said she wanted to come home," Jayne said.

She wasn't going to apologise for it. She wanted her child back where she belonged.

"Hey, what's going on?" Joey asked, emerging from the kitchen and immediately noticing the atmosphere.

"Abbey's going home with Eric and Jayne," Charlie explained. "Now."

"Now? But..."

Charlie shrugged and hurried up the stairs. Joey considered going after her but instead she turned back to Abbey's parents.

"Could nobody have told Charlie in a nicer way?" she asked.

***

Charlie knocked on Abbey's bedroom door. Abbey didn't reply but Charlie came in anyway. She stood in the doorway as Abbey threw everything she owned into suitcases.

"What's going on?" Charlie asked.

"I'm going home," Abbey replied curtly.

"Why?"

"I don't belong here."

"Of course you belong here!" Charlie protested. "Abbey, I know you leaving was on the cards. I've been breaking my heart over it but..."

"Liar!" Abbey snapped.

"What? Why would I lie about that? And why are you leaving so angrily?"

"Because I hate you."

Charlie's words caught in her throat as her beloved daughter glared at her. She tried several times to speak but nothing would come. Abbey continued packing, fighting every impulse to break down and tell the truth. She didn't hate Charlie. She loved her so much that she could hardly breathe.

***

Joey sat on the couch with Eric and Jayne, puzzling over what had brought about the decision for Abbey to leave.

"She just ran up to us on the beach and said she wanted to go home with us and that she wanted to do it now," Jayne explained.

She appreciated that it was hard for Charlie and Joey but her own joy was vastly outweighing her compassion.

"She ran up to you on the beach?" Joey asked inquisitively. "But you guys were having dinner."

"We'd finished. We parted. And then she came and found us again."

Joey furrowed her brow and looked up, sighing heavily. She caught sight of the door and remembered it being left open earlier in the day. Then she remembered the conversation she and Charlie had been having at the time.

"Shit," she muttered, leaping to her feet and running towards the stairs.

***

"Why... why do you hate me?" Charlie managed, holding onto the doorframe for support.

"She doesn't hate you!" Joey burst out, appearing as if from nowhere.

"What?" mother and daughter asked in unison, turning to eye her curiously.

"You came back this evening, didn't you?" Joey said to Abbey. "You overheard me and Charlie talking."

"Yes," Abbey muttered quietly.

"Charlie wasn't saying that she wanted you to go," Joey explained.

She took her girlfriend's hand and they moved together into the room and sat on the bed. Charlie was bewildered.

"She was saying that if you were going to leave her, she hoped you'd do it quickly because she couldn't bear to lose you. She was telling me how much she loved and needed you. You just caught the wrong sentence," Joey explained.

Abbey dropped the t-shirt she was folding and chewed her lip.

"You want me to stay?" she asked Charlie.

"Of course I do!" Charlie replied.

"Well, I... you said..."

"She's been beside herself worrying about you leaving," Joey informed her.

"Really?"

"Yes," Charlie confirmed.

"I came home after telling Mum and Dad that I wanted to stay here," Abbey explained. "But then I thought you didn't want me."

"I want you," Charlie said quickly. "We both do. And Ruby. And little Joseph."

Abbey breathed a sigh of relief and moved round the bed to cuddle her Mum. Charlie gathered her into her arms and held her, kissing the top of her head and putting one arm around Joey, eternally grateful that she had been there to fix things. Abbey looked up and gazed into Charlie's eyes.

"I still want to see them lots," she said.

"We can figure all that out," Charlie promised.

"Why don't we go downstairs and sort everything out once and for all so that there are no more crossed wires?" Joey suggested.

The small group of three headed back downstairs to face Eric and Jayne.


	110. Chapter 110

_Just to let you know that there are now one hundred and fourteen chapters of this story. I've finished it and will continue to post until we're done. And then I'll be ready to replace it with a new one! Enjoy what's left of the fic. And the fancy dress. Love IJKS xx_

**Chapter One Hundred and Ten**

Twenty minutes later, Charlie, Joey, Abbey, Eric and Jayne were all sat round the coffee table. Jayne was tearful and Abbey was apologetic over giving her what turned out to be false hope. She, Joey and Charlie explained what had happened and Abbey stated again that she wanted to stay.

"Don't let them tell you what to do, Abbey," Jayne begged. "Please?"

"They're not," Abbey said. "This is my decision."

"Why? Why won't you come home with us? You were happy with us!"

Eric put an arm around his wife. Gone was her resolve to take it gracefully like she had attempted to the first time.

"I was," Abbey agreed. "And I would be again."

"So why won't you just console your mother and come home?" Eric asked.

Charlie shifted uncomfortably. Joey held her hand.

"Because I'm happy here too."

She looked desperately between her parents. Charlie was torn between wanting to comfort her daughter and not wanting to rub it in Jayne and Eric's faces that Abbey wanted to stay in Summer Bay.

"I was thinking that I could spend every other weekend with you guys but stay here during the week and go to school here. Summer Bay High is much better than anything I got at the old place. And then during the holidays, I could spend a lot of them with you too so it wouldn't really be like I was leaving you," Abbey suggested. "Plus, all the time I'd spend with you would be fun time. It wouldn't be interfered with by school and things like that."

"Does that mean we'd get the boring bits?" Joey asked light-heartedly.

"I'm afraid so," Abbey said with a grin.

She looked back to her other parents. They looked heartbroken but sighed in resignation and nodded.

"Okay," Jayne agreed. "Would you come back with us now as part of your holidays? Three weeks?"

Abbey looked at Charlie, who nodded, comforted only by the fact that she would be back soon.

"And um... you two are more than welcome to come and visit for the wedding," she piped up.

Abbey smiled, thrilled with the extension of inclusion in their family.

"Oh," said Eric in surprise. "That'd be lovely."

"We haven't done proper invitations yet but they're on their way," Joey added.

"Will you stay until New Year's Day as planned?" Charlie asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course," Eric agreed.

"Phew!" Abbey said. "I spent ages on my costume!"

***

Abbey woke up early and excited the following morning. She had indeed worked hard on her costume and she was looking forward to wearing it. Walking past Joseph's room on her way downstairs, she heard him stirring and crept in.

"Hey, Bump," she greeted softly.

He looked up at her from his cot with big blue eyes. Smiling, she scooped him up and cuddled him close.

"See?" she said. "I could never have moved back with my folks. I couldn't leave you and your cute little smile. And your..."

She sniffed the air and pulled a face.

"And your smelly little bum!" she giggled, moving to lie him down on the changing mat.

***

By mid afternoon, the house was decorated and all the food was laid out and sealed ready for their guests to arrive. Charlie and Joey had enforced all hands on deck, including Xavier, Eric and Jayne and now the whole team were pleased with themselves.

"Can we get changed into our costumes now?" Abbey asked in her best pleading voice at seven o'clock.

"Yep," Joey agreed.

She took Charlie by the hand and began to lead her into her room. She was particularly excited about hers and Charlie's costumes. It had taken every ounce of self-control not to play dress up weeks ago. Abbey bounded up the stairs and Ruby and Xavier scampered off to Ruby's room. Eric and Jayne, who had never been ones for fancy dress, reluctantly headed into the spare room, fretting over their lack of imagination.

***

"Are you guys looking forward to the party tonight?" Angelo asked.

He, Watson, Jack and Davina were all at their desks, desperately waiting for the working day to be over.

"Not even nearly as excited as Star!" Watson remarked.

She felt self-conscious about her outfit and she wasn't even wearing it yet. Star had chosen it and insisted that she had to wear it. Watson was more excited about the fact that her girlfriend was attending the shindig as Wonder Woman.

"Tell me about it!" Jack laughed. "Martha was getting ready before I left this morning!"

"Who's she going as?" Angelo asked.

"Lara Croft!"

"Ooh, I'd like to see that!"

"Hey!" Jack said.

"Come on, I'm only human," Angelo said.

Jack grinned. He supposed he couldn't really object to other men liking his wife. She was stunning after all. And he knew Angelo would never do anything about it.

"Who are you going as?" Jack asked.

"It's a surprise," Angelo told him.

"Watson?"

"Also a surprise," she said a little less confidently than her colleague had.

Davina watched their interaction carefully. She was going to the party too, although she knew Charlie and Joey didn't want her there, especially after Christmas. It had seemed like a good idea at the time and it had annoyed Hugo. They'd broken up for all of three days but were back together again now and attending the party as Buffy and Angel. She was determined to be the belle of the ball.

"I wonder what Charlie and Joey are going as," Angelo mused out loud.

He pictured various delightful images in his mind and hoped they lived up to expectation. There was no harm in looking, after all. They were beautiful. And he was lucky enough to be close friends with both of them.

***

Ruby frowned at herself in the mirror. Dressed as one half of Romeo and Juliet, she was in a long, flowing white dress and she and Abbey had worked together to make wings. She kept her hair loose, hoping to look as much like Claire Danes from the movie as she could. However, having only given birth a few months before, she was still certain that her belly was too round and that she hadn't lost enough baby weight yet. Still frowning, she poked her tummy.

"The baby's out of me!" she complained. "He's in his cot right now. Why am I still fat?"

Xavier clanked about in his version of Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo's fancy dress outfit. It was shiny and the whole thing had seemed like a good idea at the time but now he felt like he looked an idiot. And he was fretting over what his friend's would think. Although, to be fair, Geoff was going to be a fireman and Jai was Peter Pan so perhaps he didn't have much to worry about. And at least he had Ruby to hide behind. Hugging her, he gazed at them in the mirror. They looked nice together, like a very happy couple.

"You look beautiful," he promised. "Absolutely beautiful."

Comforted, she turned to face him and kissed him.

"I love my Romeo," she giggled.

***

The Diner was busy as usual and the staff, Colleen, Irene, Leah and Roman were eager to get home and ready for Charlie and Joey's party.

"I've got to paint my whole face!" Irene complained. "Can't we finish here early?"

"Why do you need to paint your face?" Leah asked. "Who are you dressing up as?"

"Elphaba!" Irene declared proudly.

Belle had taken her to see _Wicked _a month beforehand and she'd been obsessively playing the soundtrack at home and at work ever since. Leah chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Are you two going as something cute and coupley?" Colleen cooed over Roman and Leah who quickly shook their heads and said 'no'.

"I'm going to be Morticia Adams," Leah said.

Colleen looked a little horrified. She had never appreciated that kind of humour.

"And I'm going to be the Joker!" Roman grinned. "My outfit's awesome!"

Colleen shook her head and continued wiping the surfaces down.

"Who are you going to be?" Irene asked.

"Well, I decided not to be a character like you lot," she said. "I'm going to be an angel."

"That'll be the day!" Irene giggled.

Colleen looked affronted and scrubbed harder.

***

The doorbell rang and Abbey exited her bedroom to answer it, dressed as Supergirl.

"Hey... um... Dorothy!" she laughed.

David stepped inside the house and hugged her.

"Did you drive all the way here as a woman?" the teenager exclaimed.

"I sure did, Supergirl!" he chuckled. "I was going to be the scarecrow or something so I could be a friend of Dorothy's but I thought this would do the trick."

Abbey chuckled.

"You can dump your stuff in my room, if you like," she told him. "Nobody else is ready yet."

***

Nicole, Annie and Belle posed for a photograph together, looking proud of themselves. They'd opted to team up and attend the party as Charlie's Angels and they looked hot, even if the did say so themselves.

"You look awesome," Aden, AKA Batman confirmed, handing Belle her camera back.

"Geoff, are you coming out of your room any time today?" Nicole bellowed.

Jai shifted uncomfortably in the Peter Pan outfit that Annie had chosen for him. It hadn't been a good idea back then and it was even less of a good idea now.

"Stop sulking," his girlfriend said. "You look cute as a button!"

He ignored her and fiddled with his little green hat. Geoff's door opened a crack and he appeared in a fireman's outfit, complete with yellow hard hat.

"That is so not what I told you to do," Nicole protested.

She marched forward and chased him back into his room.

***

Charlie and Joey kissed fervently, pausing only when they heard the doorbell go. Reluctantly, Charlie pulled away.

"We'd really better get out there and play hostess with the mostess or someone's going to charge in and drag us out," she said.

Joey sighed and kissed her one more time, climbing off the bed and checking that her outfit was straight.

"I'm still sure you should have been Gabrielle," she said, scrutinising her blonde wig. "I don't suit blonde."

"You suit everything," Charlie, as Xena Warrior Princess said, climbing off the bed in her too tight and too revealing outfit.

Joey took up and beamed at her, pulling her in closer for another kiss.

"You look really hot in that outfit," Charlie remarked.

"You look pretty damn fine yourself," Joey agreed.

She nudged Charlie back onto the bed. The doorbell rang again.

"We really have to get out there," Joey realised.

She kissed Charlie one more time and pulled her to her feet. Arriving in the lounge, they saw that the room was already busy. Abbey was dressed as Supergirl, her parents were a Doctor and a Nurse, Ruby and Xavier were Romeo and Juliet and they were holding Joseph who looked adorable as a little baby tiger. Brendan, as Spiderman was offering Joseph a toy.

"David!" Joey squeaked, hugging her friend. "Could you be any more gay?"

"Pot, kettle, Gabrielle!" he replied.

She pouted and then turned to greet the other guests. Ross and Morag looked a little self conscious as Mulder and Scully, complete with trench coats and flashlights and Gina was giggling nervously in a short Union Jack dress with the intention of looking like Geri Halliwell. Behind her, Tony and Rachel looked funky as Danny and Sandy from _Grease _and Martha looked striking as Lara Croft. She even had toy guns in holsters round her bare thighs.

"You all look awesome!" Charlie said.

Abbey hurried to the stereo to put music on.

"No Jack yet?" Charlie asked Martha.

"He was just arriving back from his shift when we left so he'll be along soon," she said.

The doorbell rang again. Charlie opened up to Nicole, Annie and Belle who were all giggling.

"Hi, Charlie!" they said in unison.

The Warrior Princess snorted with laughter and let them in. Behind them, two less enthusiastic boys plus Irene and Aden arrived.

"Who is he?" David asked, his drink pausing midway to his lips.

Geoff the fireman was all kitted out except for the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Straight and taken," Joey said firmly.

"You spoil all my fun!" he sulked.

Ruby, having handed the baby over to his Dad, hurried up to Jai.

"Oh my... Jai! You look cute as..."

"A button, yeah, I know!" he said sourly.

She giggled and patted him on the back before dragging Annie and Nicole off to see her cub.

***

Half an hour later, the party seemed to have got going. Nobody had tucked into food yet but the drink was flowing, the music was cheerful and everyone was having a good time. Colleen had arrived as an angel, Alf was Captain Hook, which had only served to embarrass Jai more when other guests had insisted they stage a battle, and Miles and Kirsty had dressed up as Austin Powers and Magenta from _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ respectively.

"You're definitely the hottest girl in the room," Joey told Charlie.

The more she saw her girlfriend glide around the party, the more plans she was developing in her head for after dark. Charlie blushed and pulled her in for a kiss. Parting, they looked around. Eric and Jayne seemed to be making a lot of effort with their friends, although they looked like they were desperate to keep Supergirl with them most of the time. Oblivious however, the teenager was zooming around the party, taking responsibility for Joseph as much as her attention span would allow and marvelling at the good looking boys around her, specifically Geoff and Aden.

***

Across the room, Gina as Geri was feeling a little self-conscious. She constantly pulled the short dress down and wondered constantly if she ought to go home and change. She smiled when a strange man in drag approached her with a drink.

"You look fabulous," he told her.

She continued smiling and accepting the drink, inviting him to come and sit beside her.

"So do you!" she said.

***

Checking his fangs in the rear-view mirror, marvelling at the irony of a vampire seeing his reflection, Jack climbed out of the car. Buffy and Angel, better known as Hugo and Davina climbed out and followed him to the front door.

"Now, are you guys going to behave yourselves?" Jack asked before he knocked on the door.

"Promise," Hugo said.

He'd cut his hair to make it shorter and spikier so that he looked more like the undead hero and he thought his girlfriend looked beautiful. And she'd been less obnoxious since Christmas. Jack knocked loudly and a few minutes later, the door opened and they were greeted by and older version of Fox Mulder.

"Come on in," he said, stepping aside.

Davina noted a short, sharp glare from Joey who reached possessively for Charlie's hand. She couldn't help but note that the couple looked particularly attractive. She dragged Hugo straight for the drinks table.

***

"I really want to go back home and put my shirt on!" Geoff said self-consciously.

He folded his arms over his chest.

"Why?" Nicole asked. "You have a gorgeous body. Show it off!"

He didn't look convinced and shifted from foot to foot.

"That guy keeps looking at me," he said, nodding towards Dorothy who was laughing heartily with Gina.

Nicole laughed and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Well, let's make sure he knows you're mine!" she said.

They kissed again and were interrupted by wolf whistles. Geoff immediately panicked and then burst out laughing at Angelo who had just entered the party in nothing but a thong. Charlie was having hysterics.

"What on earth are you meant to be?" she exclaimed.

"A Chippendale!" he declared, giving her a twirl.

She continued laughing.

"More like a chipmunk!" she said.

"Hey!" he protested.

She closed the door.

"Are you seriously going to strut around this party in that?" she asked incredulously.

"Absolutely!" he declared. "Where's the beer?"

Another knock on the door distracted the hostess and she was pleased to see that Leah, Roman and VJ had arrived, or at least The Joker, Morticia Adams and Anakin Skywalker had.

"Sorry we're late," Leah apologised. "_Someone _had a tantrum."

"Oh, Roman, haven't you grown out of those by now?" Charlie smirked.

It was strange. For a while there, Charlie hadn't thought that she and Roman would ever managed to be friends. He'd hurt her in the past but now she had no romantic feelings for him whatsoever, and now that he was dating Leah, everything felt normal. It was as if they didn't have a history and that was just fine by both of them.

"Um... is Angelo naked?" Leah asked curiously.

"Not quite," Charlie said. "He's just stopped short of the final act of a Chippendale."

"Oh, my!"

Roman frowned at his girlfriend's interest and dragged VJ to the buffet table.

***

"Oh, come on, Watson!" Star moaned. "We're late!"

Watson stood in a Tank Girl outfit and was still determined that she couldn't possibly turn up to the party in that.

"You look gorgeous!"

"I have podgy bits!"

Star wrapped her arms around her and kissed her tenderly.

"You don't have podgy bits," Star insisted.

"You have to say that. You're my girlfriend. And I have no idea why you're my girlfriend! Look at you! Look at me!"

Dressed as Wonder Woman, Star looked undeniably attractive. She held onto Watson's hands.

"I'm your girlfriend because I love you," she said firmly.

Both were aware of the fact that this was the first time either of them had said those words to each other.

"I love you too," Watson admitted, feeling more self-conscious than ever.

"So please me show off the woman I'm in love with at the party?" Star begged.

***

Joey grabbed Charlie's hand and pulled her into their bedroom.

"Joey!" Charlie protested.

She was interrupted by a kiss that left her breathless.

"I've hardly seen you all evening," Joey pouted. "I needed to take action."

She kissed her again, wrapping her arms around her and lowering her mouth to her neck. Charlie moaned.

"Okay," she said. "You can take all the action you want."

***

Ross and Morag approached Ruby as she prepared to take Joseph upstairs to sleep.

"Have you seen Charlie?" Ross asked his daughter.

"Oh, I saw her and Joey slope off to their room," she replied. "I presume they're going to..."

Beside her, Xavier cleared his throat.

"Um, they're going to... um... talk."

Ross looked distinctly unimpressed. He'd got his head around Charlie and Joey dating but he could happily live without the details.

"Well, I'm going to take the baby upstairs!" Ruby said brightly, scampering off as safely as she could.

"Do you want a drink?" Xavier offered awkwardly.

***

Abbey sat down with her parents who were perched on the sofa. They had been making polite conversation with Jack and Martha who had just left them to talk to Rachel and Tony.

"Are you having a good time?" Abbey asked.

She wanted both sets of parents to be comfortable in each other's worlds. It was terribly important to her.

"We're having a lovely time," Eric told her. "All your friends are very nice."

"And while it pains me to say it, your second family are lovely."

Abbey beamed and hugged them before flying off to join her friends on the dance floor.

***

Hugo and Davina had sloped off to make out in the corner. It was the only way either of them could stop themselves making mischief. It was difficult to go against nature. From another corner, Gina tutted over her son and continued to chat to David who had been entertaining her all night.

"Would you like to dance?" David offered, extending his hand.

Smiling shyly, she stood up, suddenly understand what a lot of her friends had told her about having a gay best friend. Stepping onto the area that had been cleared for dancing, they joined Geoff, Nicole, Jai and Annie.

***

On the bed, Charlie felt breathless as Joey kissed her and gently slipped her hand beneath her leather, pleated skirt.

"People will start missing us," Charlie gasped.

Joey distracted her with more kisses and allowed her hand to reach its real destination. She paused.

"Do you want to go back into the party?" she asked.

Exasperated, Charlie stared at her and then shook her head. This was exactly where she wanted to be.

***

Martha and Jack laughed uproariously at Tony and Rachel's rendition of 'You're the One That I Want'.

"I'm so glad that I've outgrown being embarrassed by my father," the police officer said. "Because if I was younger, right now, I'd want the floor to swallow me up."

Tony and Rachel danced on to the entertainment of their audience.

***

"You know, I never thought I'd see the day when I was attending a lesbian New Year party," Colleen commented when she bumped into Alf helping himself to chips and dip, a task that was proving difficult with a hook in place of one hand.

He chuckled at the angel's comments. It had been a long time since he'd really noticed that Charlie and Joey were in a lesbian relationship, especially having employed Joey for a time. As far as he was concerned, they belonged together and gender didn't come into it. They brightened the Bay with their personalities and they were a joy to know.

"And of course we're going to a lesbian wedding in February! I mean... who'd have thought..."

Alf continued to chuckle, heading over to talk to Ross and Morag.

***

Angelo was disappointed by the lack of available women that he could show off to. He'd so far only really attracted David and that wasn't exactly what he was looking for. He looked around for Charlie and Joey, ready to interrogate them about eligible women that might be attending their wedding. He grinned when he saw them leaving their bedroom, still rearranging their clothes.

"And what have you been doing?" he asked, sauntering up to them and still grinning.

"What do you think?" Joey smirked before Charlie could answer.

Charlie looked aghast and squeezed Joey's hand a little too tight.

"What can I say?" Joey continued, still grinning. "If she was yours you'd be all over her too!"

"I would!" Angelo agreed a little too readily.

Joey gave him a warning look and wrapped her arm around Charlie's waist.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask you about prospective dates at your wedding," he said, changing the subject.

"Well, there's always David," Charlie told him.

***

Aden approached David who had finally taken a break from dancing although a more confident Gina had stayed on with Tony and Rachel. Dorothy was glad to have helped Geri Halliwell.

"Hi again," David said.

"You look different," Aden said. "Have you done something with your hair?"

"Why, yes I have! Thank you!" David laughed.

"So, are you coming back for Charlie and Joey's wedding?" Aden asked.

"I sure am. Although, I hear I've lost out as best man in favour of you," David said, although he didn't really mind.

Aden had been in Joey's life a lot more recently than he had. It was luck, chance and tragedy that had brought the friends back together again.

"Well, you could probably wangle being a bridesmaid!" Aden laughed.

David shook his head and swigged his drink.

"I've actually decided to move down here," he said. "I haven't told the girls yet but I have a job interview at the school on the second and I'm doing some property viewings."

"That's great," Aden said. "Joey will be thrilled."

***

Tank Girl and Wonder Woman were let in through the front door by Lara Croft. Xena and Gabrielle raced over.

"Finally!" Charlie said. "We were starting to think you weren't coming."

"Someone was panicking about their outfit," Star informed them.

"It's alright for you!" Watson said quickly to her girlfriend. "You're a stripper. You know you're hot!"

"You looking pretty hot too, Tank Girl," Joey said with a big smile.

She wanted to boost her friend's confidence and she did look lovely.

"She may be a stripper," Charlie said. "But you're dating her so how special must you be?"

Watson smiled and Star kissed her cheek proudly.

"Now," she said. "Let's get drunk! We have a lot of a catching up to do!"

***

"Okay, if anyone ought to win best costume, it has to be you!" Leah told Irene.

She was in black, complete with a witch's hat and she'd painted her face and hands green. She was carrying a broomstick and she looked rather proud of her outfit.

"Thanks, love," she said.

"Shouldn't you and Dorothy be fighting by now?" Roman chuckled.

"I would but he's built like a brick! Now _he _would make a good Chippendale," Irene said.

All three turned to Angelo who was making a small crowd laugh by preening himself. He did look rather handsome and he had a very cheeky smile that showed he definitely didn't take himself too seriously.

***

Belle, Annie and Nicole were dancing in a line, showing off to the rest of the party when Charlie turned the stereo down to announce that there was thirty seconds to midnight. She clutched hold of Joey's hand wanting to keep her close. Ruby sighed when she heard Joseph crying through the baby monitor, obviously wanting to be part of the celebrations.

"I'll go," said Abbey, scampering upstairs and leaving her aunt and Xavier to enjoy the last few seconds of the year.

Eric and Jayne, still on the sofa, watched her go. Brendan ran excitedly into his mother's arms, Hugo and Davina prized themselves apart and Tony and Rachel finally stopped dancing.

"Ten... nine... eight..." everyone chorused in time with the people on the television.

Angelo sighed, realising that he had nobody to kiss at midnight.

"Seven... six... five..."

Aden and Belle leant into each other, happy to be spending another New Year in each other's arms.

"Four..."

Abbey arrived back downstairs with baby Joseph and stood, holding him happily in her arms.

"Three..."

Roman put his arm around Leah. It was their first New Year together and both hoped it wouldn't be their last.

"Two..."

David wound his way round to Angelo's side, just in case.

"One! Happy New Year!"

As couples formed all over the room, Abbey looked down at Joseph.

"Happy New Year, Bump," she said affectionately. "I love you so much."

Charlie and Joey fell into each other's arms, kissing tenderly.

"Happy New Year," Joey said softly, resting her forehead against Charlie's.

Charlie considered stroking Joey's hair and then remembered she was wearing a Gabrielle wig and settled on her shoulders instead.

"I love you," she replied. "This is going to be the best year of all our lives."

They kissed again before turning to hug Abbey, fuss over Joseph and greet Ruby and Xavier. Abbey then handed Joseph to Joey and scampered off to hug Jayne and Eric. Ross and Morag approached.

"Happy New Year, girls" Ross said.

More hugs were exchanged.

***

By three o'clock in the morning, the final guests, Watson, Star and Angelo had left and the Buckton-Collins house was preparing to go to sleep. Joseph was tucked up in his cot, Ruby and Xavier looked set to collapse, a still hyper Abbey reluctantly skipped off to bed, having been ordered to by both sets of parents, Eric and Jayne had retired to the spare room and David had crashed on the couch, sadly without Angelo, and Charlie and Joey escaped to their own room. Shutting the door on the outside world, the couple observed each other.

"I think you're actually hotter than the real thing," Joey said with a smile.

She reached out to stroke Charlie's cheek, receiving a gentle kiss on her palm. Their lips met in the lamp lit room and they slowly made their way to the bed. Charlie moaned into the kiss as she felt Joey's hands run all over her body, exploring her and her outfit.

"I can't believe I'm about to sleep with Xena Warrior Princess!" Joey giggled.

They kissed harder and began to struggle with each other's costumes.

"And I finally get my Gabrielle!" Charlie replied.


	111. Chapter 111

_I think I'm going to feel very sad when this story is over! It's been my baby for such a long time! Oh goodness, imagine how I'm going to feel at the end of Interwoven. In that, we've been with Charlie and Joey since they were babies. But never fear, a new story will come into replace this one. It's Aden and Belle's wedding, Charlie had a boyfriend, Joey has a girlfriend... just what will happen when they meet again? Anyway, on with this fic! It's not over yet! I forgot to say when I posed the last chapter but Charlie and Joey as Xena and Gabrielle was totally down to DrowningNotWaving. She mentioned the idea at the right time and suddenly I was inventing a fancy dress party! So yes, she is the one to thank. And thank you all, as ever, for your wonderful reviews and for your commitment to the story. Love, IJKS xx_

***

**Chapter One Hundred and Eleven**

It was the final weekend of the holidays and Abbey had arrived home to a special meal courtesy of both Charlie and Joey, who had missed her terribly. They had talked on the phone regularly but it wasn't the same as having her around. Ruby had missed her too and she was sure Joseph had also. The following day, Charlie, Ruby and Abbey got up early ready for a day of shopping in Yabbie Creek. They were checking fittings for their dresses and Charlie was intending to treat the girls to lunch. Joey had volunteered to stay at home with the baby, something she was secretly looking forward to. The more she spent time with her namesake, observing his cute little ways and watching him develop, the more she wanted to have one with Charlie. It was a strange realisation. She'd never wanted children. She'd always been sure that she would be the worst parent in the world but here she was, a homeowner, in a long-term relationship, engaged, looking after two teenagers and a baby and more than prepared to welcome another child into the world.

***

"That was so much fun!" Ruby declared as she and her family burst through the front door.

The threesome stopped talking when they spotted Joey fast asleep on the sofa with baby Bump curled up on her chest.

"Oh!" Abbey squeaked. "That is so cute!"

She quickly pulled her mobile out and used the camera to take a photo. Charlie smiled to herself and gently bent to kiss Joey's forehead. Joey stirred.

"I'm up!" she said in a daze. "I didn't fall asleep!"

Charlie chuckled and ruffled her hair affectionately. Joseph continued to doze.

"That was one of the cutest things I've ever seen," Ruby said.

She carefully gathered Joseph into her arms and cuddled him close.

"I just napped for a second," Joey said, not wanting Ruby or anyone to think that she hadn't been taking care of the tot.

"It's okay, Joey," she said. "I curl up with him all the time."

Joey grinned.

"He's awfully cuddly," she said.

Charlie moved to sit beside her and Joey snuggled into her lap, closing her eyes and smiling.

"Did you girls have a nice day?" she asked.

"It was awesome!" Abbey declared, throwing herself into an armchair. "Mine and Ruby's dresses are beautiful."

Charlie cleared her throat.

"Mum's is too," Abbey said quickly.

Charlie smiled, both thrilled that she liked the dress and that it had become second nature to call her 'Mum' now.

***

That night, Charlie and Joey lay on their bed together. The room was lit by a bedside lamp and Joey was lying mostly atop Charlie. With their warm, pyjama clad bodies gently pressed together, they kissed without coming up for air. Their affection was gentle and delicate and they appreciated taking the time just to kiss and touch without launching into full naughtiness.

"Did you have a good day, by the way?" Charlie asked, when their lips momentarily parted.

Joey smiled and nodded.

"I had a wonderful day," she said. "Looking after Joseph was so lovely. The more I spend time with him, the more I want a baby of my own."

She looked down and concentrated on toying with the hem of Charlie's pyjama top. She felt suddenly shy.

"I want a baby too," Charlie admitted.

Joey looked up and smiled. She lowered her mouth and they kissed again.

"Maybe we could talk about it with Abbey sometime," Charlie said. "I don't want to do anything that will make her feel uncomfortable."

"Nor do I," Joey said. "I love her as if she's my own!"

Charlie smiled and pulled Joey closer for another kiss. She wrapped her arms tightly around her and Joey repositioned herself more firmly against her girlfriend's body.

"I wish..." Joey ventured, moving her lips to Charlie's neck.

"I wish that you and I could..."

She lowered her hand to Charlie's breast, gently teasing her.

"I wish that we could make a baby together," she said. "Naturally."

She moved to kiss Charlie's lips again.

"That you and I making love together could create a life," she said softly.

"Me too," said Charlie.

They kissed again and Joey moved to caress Charlie's other breast, just in case if felt neglected.

"Still," she said. "I'm sure we can have lots of fun practicing and pretending that it'd come to something!"

Charlie laughed and slipped her own hands beneath Joey's top. Their kisses became more intense as they got carried away with each other.

***

Charlie crept up behind Angelo and made him jump so much that he nearly spilled his drink.

"That doesn't look like work to me, young man!" she teased with mock sternness.

He looked a little guilty and closed the newspaper he was trawling through.

"I'm looking for a..."

"New job?" Charlie smirked.

"No! A roommate," he told her. "The guy I share with now is moving in with his girlfriend and that leaves me with double rent to pay."

"So you're looking through the personals for someone female, hot and blonde?"

"Something like that! You don't know of anyone looking for somewhere to rent, do you? They don't have to be blonde."

Charlie pondered the question thoughtfully.

"Actually, I do," she said.

She immediately picked up the phone and called Joey.

***

Joey was just tucking into lunch with David at the Diner.

"So, you're planning on living in your car until you find somewhere to live?" Joey asked incredulously.

"I fail to believe that you haven't slept in dodgy places, young lady!"

"That's by the by!"

She nibbled her sandwich.

"Anyway, we have a spare room. I'm sure Charlie won't mind you crashing with us until you're settled. I'll just call her."

She moved to dig her phone out and was surprised when it rang. She grinned. It was Charlie.

"I was just about to ring you," Joey told her.

David made swoony, kissing noises and pulled faces. Joey waved a dismissive hand at him.

"Are you still having lunch with David?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Joey replied. "Why, can you hear him acting like a moron?"

David looked offended. Joey poked her tongue out.

"No but I was wondering if he was looking for a place to live."

"That's what I was going to call you about."

"Well, Angelo's looking for a roommate."

"Awesome!" Joey said.

She immediately relayed the information to David whose eyes lit up at the thought of living with 'the hot cop'.

"Great!" Charlie said. "That's it all sorted!"

***

When Charlie arrived home from work, Abbey was rocking Joseph to sleep. He was grizzling, Ruby was exhausted and Super Cousin had taken over.

"Hi," the teenager greeted.

"Hey," Charlie replied, shrugging off her jacket and putting her bag down. "Trouble?"

"He's cranky," she said. "Aren't you, Bump? But you don't mean it. It's not your fault."

She kissed Joseph's head and sat on the couch with him. Charlie came to sit next to them.

"I hope I fall in love one day and get to have one of these," Abbey said. "More than one, really! Lots! The more babies there are in the world, the better."

Charlie smiled and watched her fuss over Joseph whose mouth was finally closed, with his eyes looking to follow suit.

"You're really good with him," she said.

Abbey beamed at her.

"Thanks."

"Do you... um... what would you think if Joey and I decided to have a baby?" Charlie asked nervously.

Abbey's eyes lit up.

"I think I'd love to have a baby brother or sister," she said. "I get to play with him or her as much as I get to play with Bump, right?"

Charlie chuckled.

"Of course you do!" she said.

Abbey beamed at her. Joseph finally drifted off to sleep.

"So, you wouldn't mind if Joey and I started thinking about more kids?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind," Abbey said. "It'd be awesome. You and Joey are great parents."

She grinned at her mother one more time before carefully getting off the couch in order to take Joseph upstairs to his cot.


	112. Chapter 112

_Enjoy the lead up to the wedding! Two chapters to go! Love, IJKS xx_

**Chapter One Hundred and Twelve**

It was the day before the wedding. Charlie and Joey had been run off their feet getting everything perfect and organised and now they were awaiting the arrival of various guests coming in from out of town. Martin, Charlie's first boyfriend had made the effort to come, thrilled that Charlie was finally out and proud like he was. He'd arranged to stay at the caravan park and was touched to be on the guest list. Charlie's Auntie Michelle, with whom she had stayed for a year after giving birth to Abbey in a bid to run away from her life, was coming to stay in their spare room and Auntie Alice and her 'friend' Liz were staying with Ross and Morag. Joey was itching to find out how the chickens and Gabby the Goat were. She could barely contain herself. Eric and Jayne would be arriving on the day and Charlie and Ruby's cousin Samantha had been invited to stay the night with Watson.

"Okay," Charlie said, taking a deep breath and hurling herself onto the bed. "Is everything perfect?"

Joey lay on top of her and kissed her neck.

"We've got the pastor, we've got the flowers, we've got the venue, Alf's taken care of the Surf Club, Leah and Roman are in charge of the catering, we have our guests, I have my best man, you've got your bridesmaids, your Dad's walking you up the aisle and we've given VJ an important job. Our mates are taking us out for our last night of tentative freedom..."

She kissed her again.

"I think we're good to go!"

Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey's waist.

"You're not going to take this freedom thing too seriously, are you?" she asked.

Joey burst out laughing.

"As if!" she said, kissing her yet again.

She wondered if she would be addicted to kissing Charlie for the rest of their lives. Their contact deepened and Joey moved to undo her girlfriend's buttons. She frowned when Charlie slapped her hands away.

"Hey!" Joey protested.

"We have a rule!" Charlie reminded her.

The cop had had the bright idea of not having sex for the week prior to the wedding. Joey had very reluctantly agreed. Charlie had insisted that it would make post-blessing sex even more special but Joey was sure any kind of ban on touching Charlie wasn't a good thing.

"Oh, please?" she whined. "Nobody will know!"

Charlie laughed.

"We'll know," she said affectionately. "That's the point."

"Oh, I'm sure one roll in the hay won't hurt," Joey insisted.

She kissed Charlie's neck again, immediately introducing her tongue. Charlie moaned and felt her entire body tingle. She began to protest but Joey's mouth was working overtime and driving her wild. Finally, she rolled Joey onto her back and pinned her arms with her thighs.

"Not until tomorrow night," she said firmly.

Joey pouted and sulked. Charlie kissed her lips and then hauled herself off the bed, although she was as desperate to be with Joey as Joey was to be with her. Joey remained on the bed and groaned loudly in frustration.

"You wait, Buckton," she warned. "I'm not going to let you get any sleep at all tomorrow night."

Charlie turned back to her and grinned wickedly.

"I expect nothing less!" she replied.

***

David and Angelo arrived at seven thirty to whisk Joey away to their place where a few of them were getting together to celebrate with her. Charlie was still grumbling that Joey had managed to steal both Watson and Star for her party but at least she had convinced Martin to stick with her and be the only boy. She'd assured him that him being gay practically made him a woman anyway, a statement which had almost offended him.

"Are you ready, Joey?" David asked.

He stopped when he spotted a good looking man on the sofa.

"Hi," he said, extending his hand. "I don't think we've met."

Martin stood and shook his hand.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Martin. I'm an old friend of Charlie's."

"Great!" David said cheerfully. "I'm an old friend of Joey's! My name's David. This is Angelo."

The police officer was about to shake hands with him but paused when a beautiful blonde woman floated into the room. Charlie and Joey rolled their eyes.

"Angelo, this is Charlie's cousin, Sam," Joey said quickly. "Sam, this is Angelo."

Sam smiled shyly. Angelo stumbled off a few vowel sounds. Abbey and Ruby snorted with laughter.

"I thought it was us teenagers who were meant to be raging with hormones!" Ruby commented.

"Um... I think you've had your fair share," Abbey commented, nodding towards Joseph who was napping in his mother's arms.

"Hey!" Ruby said. "You're meant to be on my side!"

Charlie high fived her child and then moved to say goodbye to Joey who was having to nudge both David and Angelo towards the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Charlie said sweetly.

They kissed sensually.

"Absolutely," Joey replied, kissing her again.

They rested their foreheads together and touched noses.

"I'll miss you," Joey said.

"Me too."

"Okay!" Angelo said loudly. "Enough of the mush! Let's get you to your stripper... I mean, your party!"

Charlie looked horrified and Joey looked a little startled.

"Don't worry, Charlie," Angelo promised, putting an arm around Joey. "We'll take care of her!"

"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about!" Charlie frowned.

Angelo said a specific goodbye to Sam who had slid into the seat beside Martin and yanked Joey towards the door. David followed with a lingering look at Martin before he left. Charlie watched them go and grinned as Joey broke away from Angelo and ran back to hug and kiss her one more time before she left. Charlie shut the door and turned back to her friends and family.

"You don't think they've really got her a stripper, do you?" she asked worriedly.

***

Two hours later, Joey was feeling a little tipsy. She'd only had a couple of beers but with the merriment and cheer of the evening, she was getting very invested. Angelo and David had decked out their apartment with balloons and banners. She was touched by the effort. And so many people had shown up to celebrate with her. Even Roman had put in an appearance, which she hadn't expected him to do, considering she'd essentially stolen Charlie away from him. To be fair, he hadn't been too into her anyway, a fact that Joey still couldn't quite understand, but he hadn't been impressed when they'd come bounding out of the closet. Jack and Tony had also shown up, as had Miles and Alf. Aden was, with David and Angelo, taking the lead in proceedings and Xavier, Jai and Geoff had also come to the party. Joey had been feeling almost like the odd one out with all the boys around her until Watson and Star had finally arrived. She was more grateful than ever to have been able to steal them away from her fiancée.

***

At her own house, Charlie's party was in full swing. Ruby and Abbey had taken complete control, with the help of Sam, Michelle and Morag and most of the female population of Summer Bay had turned out including the teenagers' friends Annie and Nicole, plus Martha, Rachel, Leah, Kirsty, Belle, Irene and Colleen and Charlie's own family members, Alice and Liz.

"Oh, I'm meant to ask you how Gabby is," Charlie said to her country bumpkin aunt.

Alice looked confused.

"The goat," Charlie explained, feeling a little tipsy from the wine.

Alice grinned.

"You named her Gabby?" she asked.

"Joey did. She nearly abducted her!"

Alice laughed.

"Well, Gabby is just fine, thank you," she said. "I'll send her Joey's love. And you know you're welcome to come and visit any time you like."

"Thanks," Charlie said, certain that Joey would be particularly eager.

***

"Ross!" Angelo bellowed when he opened the door to Charlie's father. "Glad you could make it!"

Ross politely entered the crowded apartment.

"I just thought I'd pop in and say hi," he said. "Where's Joey?"

Angelo pointed to the end of the sofa where the bride to be was giggling with her best man. Ross smiled, nodded, handed the police officer a case of beers and headed over to greet his future daughter in law.

***

"Tomorrow is going to be the best day of your life," Martha said, swooning a little as she remembered her own wedding day.

Charlie beamed back at her.

"I'm so looking forward to it," she said. "I never thought I'd meet 'the one'. And when 'the one' turned out to be Joey... well, I definitely didn't think marriage would be on the cards!"

After all, Joey had never been known for her desire to commit and settle down.

"What's your dress like?" Rachel asked.

"Do you want to come up and see it?" Charlie asked excitedly.

Only Ruby and Abbey, who had helped her choose her outfit, had actually seen it. Giggling, she led Martha and Rachel upstairs to show it off.

***

"Can I tell you a secret?" Aden asked.

Joey gave him her full attention, opening another beer.

"I'm going to ask Belle to marry me," he revealed with a big grin.

She beamed back at him.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yep," Aden confirmed. "What can I say? You've inspired me!"

Joey laughed.

"Will you be my best man?" Aden asked.

"I'd be offended if I wasn't your first choice!" she replied firmly.

***

"Joey is going to go crazy for you in this!" Martha said, looking at Charlie's understated but beautiful ivory coloured dress.

She smirked at the bride to be.

"I mean, crazier for you than she already is!"

Charlie blushed and smiled shyly. She certainly had never dated someone before who seemed to want her so much. It didn't do her ego any harm at all.

"Seriously, Charlie, I can really see you two living happily ever after. Like me and Jack."

"And me and Tony!" Rachel added.

"Will you two be next?" Charlie teased.

"I don't know!" Rachel said quickly.

***

"So, tell me about Martin," David said, jumping into Aden's seat as soon as he'd vacated it in order to go to the bathroom.

"He was Charlie's first boyfriend," Joey told him.

His face fell so dramatically that Joey couldn't help but laugh.

"I got the feeling..."

"He's gay," Joey said. "They were best friends and pretty much got it on because they were both struggling with their sexuality and stuff."

David's eyes lit up.

"Single?" he enquired.

"Yes," Joey groaned. "Have you dumped Angelo then?"

David grinned.

"I think I'll just have to lust after my straight housemate from afar for now," he sighed dramatically. "But Martin on the other hand..."

***

"I find all this very interesting," Colleen said to Leah in the kitchen.

The restaurant owner turned to her curiously, wondering what kind of comment she would come out with next.

"Well, you know, going to a _lesbian_ hen night. It's interesting, isn't it?"

Leah chuckled.

"It's not really any different to a heterosexual one, Colleen," she pointed out.

"No. No, I suppose it's not. I'm really intrigued about the actual wedding," she admitted. "I never thought I'd see the day where I was watching two girls get married. And I mean... Charlie never showed any signs of being _that way _before, did she? Not until Joey arrived. I thought her and Roman were going to make a go of things."

Leah frowned. She was quite happy to have ended up with Roman herself.

"Sorry," Colleen said quickly. "Or I thought maybe Charlie and Angelo might give it a go. And that Hugo was quite interested in her for a while, wasn't he? When he first came to the Bay. But sine Joey arrived, all Charlie's wanted is her, isn't it? I mean, when you think about it, it's really quite sweet. I know they're both girls but they really do love each other, don't they?"

"They do," Leah agreed.

"And by all accounts, that Joey was quite a wild one until Charlie managed to tame her!"

Leah laughed and hugged the older woman affectionately.

***

"Oh my... You didn't?" Joey squealed in disbelief.

Angelo had welcomed a police woman into the apartment who was now gyrating around the room and removing her clothes, paying special attention to the lady of the hour – Joey – who had turned bright red. Angelo was grinning inanely beside her as he watched the show and most of the other lads were also hooked on watching. David clapped and cheered and Watson tried very hard not to look as the stripper was Star's friend from work. Joey squeaked as the woman came to straddle her lap, topless and thrusting. She offered Joey a smile. The youth worker didn't know where to put her hands and so kept them firmly clamped by her side.

"Charlie is going to kill me," she said worriedly.

She glanced at Angelo who looked eager to put his hands anywhere and everywhere.

"Actually, she's going to kill you!" Joey told him.

***

Michelle, who was Charlie's aunt on her mother's side and Alice, who was her aunt on her father's side, found themselves seated on the sofa together. They hadn't seen much of each other through the years, generally only seeing each other for weddings, funerals and christenings but they found each other pleasant. Michelle also found it rather endearing that Alice was quite obviously a raving lesbian but thought she was hiding it. Bringing her best friend to the wedding was the final bit of proof that it was true. She wondered if her brother had figured it out. She was certain that Charlie and Joey had judging by the things they said. Still, she hoped Ross wouldn't have a problem anymore, considering Charlie was marrying a woman.

"How long are you sticking around for?" she asked Alice.

"About a week," she replied. "We thought we'd take the time to see the family properly, check out the Summer Bay sights and everything before we go home. How about you?"

"Same," Michelle replied.

"Hey, guys," Leah said, approaching them. "Some of us are going to play truth or dare. Do you want to join in?"

***

The stripper, whose name was Catherine, excused herself to get changed. Angelo eagerly got up to show her where she could go for some privacy. Joey flopped back on the couch and ran her hands through her hair. Beside her, Aden couldn't help but smirk.

"I am so glad Ross had left by then!" Joey commented.

It would never have done to get into his good books at last and then have him take it back.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" David teased, appearing on her other side.

She smirked. Committed and in love or not, she didn't think anyone would let a view such as that go unappreciated. She just wished Charlie had been there to enjoy it with her.

"Thought so!" Aden laughed.

Angelo reappeared and perched on the coffee table.

"You had to get a cop, didn't you?" Joey accused, still amused.

Angelo laughed.

"So, honestly now, Ms Collins, who was hotter? Catherine or Charlie?"

"Charlie!" Joey said without hesitation. "I mean, you booked me a hottie but no, nobody in the whole world could compare to Charlie – in or out of uniform!"

David made cooing noises, earning him a slap on the arm and a hiss of 'shut up'. He promptly ignored her and continued.

***

By the time two o'clock in the morning rolled around, Charlie was more than exhausted. She'd had a lot of fun with her friends but she had an early start and she didn't want to look rough for Joey in the morning. She wanted to be a beautiful bride. Her girls were going to be on hand to get her made up and ready but still, a lack of sleep would inevitably provide bags under her eyes and she certainly didn't want those. Saying goodnight to those who were to be spending the night at her place – Ruby, Abbey and Michelle – she wasn't particularly relishing the thought of sleeping alone. Curling up in bed, she reached out and hugged Joey's pillow, thrilled that it smelled like her, and drifted off to sleep.

***

Watson and Star arrived home at the same time as Sam let herself into the apartment with the key they'd given her. Watson had felt it her duty to house at least one of Charlie's guests for as long as she was planning on sticking around. Of course, the fact that they had inherited someone so beautiful, did not go unappreciated by either of them.

"Did you have a good time?" Watson asked.

Sam beamed at her.

"I had a great time," she said. "We played truth or dare and stuff. It was hilarious. What did you guys get up to?"

"Stripper," Star said. "One of my work buddies."

"Don't tell Charlie!" Watson added on her way to her bedroom.

***

David rolled his eyes and shook his head, feeling a little jealous as Angelo and Catherine kissed their way to Angelo's bedroom. He decided that it was definitely his turn to meet someone tomorrow and he hoped that that someone would be Martin.

"Night, Joey," he said to the almost dozing girl on the sofa bed.

"Night, David," she replied sleepily.

She sighed.

"I miss Charlie," she said to herself.

He smiled in her direction and turned out the light.

"Don't worry," he said. "Tomorrow you get to begin the rest of your life with her."

She smiled into the darkness.

"Yes, I do," she agreed dreamily.


	113. Chapter 113

_Well, it's the penultimate chapter and I really can't believe it's nearly over! I hope you enjoy Charlie and Joey tying the knot. We still have the wedding reception to go before we say goodbye. Enjoy! Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen**

Charlie woke up feeling like a bag of nerves. The bed felt empty beside her but she quickly consoled herself with lovely images of just how full it would be later that night. Hauling herself out of bed, she went across the hall knocking on Ruby's and then Abbey's door. Both girls were sleepy but eagerly got up, as did Michelle on the sofa. She immediately made coffee while Abbey and Ruby prepared a regimented plan of action to get Charlie ready for her wedding day.

***

Joey woke up on the sofa at Angelo and David's place. She cracked an eye open as smirked as Angelo showed the stripper the door and set about making coffee in the kitchen.

"I thought I was the one meant to have all the fun last night!" Joey grinned.

"You could have come to join us!" Angelo laughed.

Joey sat up and accepted the coffee he offered her. She yawned and stretched.

"Nervous?" Angelo asked.

"Not even a little bit," she replied.

***

"But what if I put the dress on first and spill make up on it?" Charlie squeaked. "Or if I don't, and make up smears on the inside if I put it over my head?"

"Don't put it over your head," Abbey replied simply. "You can just step into it, Mum."

"Oh," Charlie said. "But what if...?"

"Stop panicking, would you?" Ruby said, utterly exasperated. "You're marrying the love of your life. Be happy about it."

"Okay," Charlie said.

"Breathe," Michelle ordered.

"Okay," Charlie replied meekly, immediately obeying orders.

***

Joey stepped out of the shower and brushed her teeth in the steamy bathroom. She had been honest with Angelo. She wasn't nervous, not about being with Charlie anyway. She was just fretting about everything going well and smoothly. She wanted the day to be perfect for her partner. Stepping out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, she barged into David's room and ordered him out so that she could get changed.

"Where's my best man, anyway?" she asked. "He's meant to be helping!"

"He's on his way back over," David promised.

She closed the door and stripped off. Glancing at herself a little critically in the mirror, she turned back to the door where her suit was hanging. Digging around in her bag, she pulled on white underwear and the ivory shirt that Ruby and Abbey had picked in order for her and Charlie to have matching colours. She moved to sit on the bed and pulled on black socks and then she put on the trousers of the pin striped suit she'd bought. The apartment was very warm so she decided to leave the suit jacket until it was time to leave as she didn't want to get hot, sweaty and smelly. She pulled open the bedroom door and waved at Aden, who was dressed in his own suit and looking very smart indeed. Then she sat back on the bed in plugged a hairdryer in.

***

Charlie was showered and had moisturized her entire body with strawberry body cream. Pleased with the scent, she stepped into her white thong and bra and then turned to admire the dress that was hanging on the door of the wardrobe at her dress. It really was beautiful. She hoped Joey would like it and then she'd have a nice time stripping her out of it after the wedding. Charlie had never seen herself as a particularly girlie person. She'd never thought she'd settle down and get married one day, especially not to a woman, but organising the wedding with all the frills had been very exciting and it was only looking better, the closer they came to their moment. She took the dress from the hanger and unzipped it. Stepping in, she fitted it round her body and started to zip it up. Running into trouble, she called for assistance. Ruby and Abbey raced in as if she'd yelled that there was a fire and immediately zipped her up. She did a twirl and appreciated their smiles.

"You look beautiful," Ruby told her honestly.

"You really, really do," Abbey agreed.

***

"Drink," Aden said, offering Joey a glass of champagne.

"It's nine o'clock in the morning," she told him, pulling a face.

"Nine o'clock on the morning of your wedding!" he reminded her. "Drink."

She necked the glass and asked for another. He laughed and obliged.

"How do I look?" Joey asked her boys, twirling around in the most expensive outfit she'd ever worn in her life.

"Fabulous," David confirmed. "Can we see you in the jacket?"

Joey nodded and trotted back to the room to get it. Putting it on, she twirled again. David fussed with her collar and all three boys declared that she looked amazing. Aden handed her another glass of champagne.

"How's my hair?" Joey asked, accepting it.

"It's lovely," Aden promised.

She'd settled on keeping her long, dark tresses loose instead of putting them up. She supposed if there had to be one, she was the 'butch' of the relationship but Charlie had told her countless times that she was as butch as a butterfly.

"Thanks," she said. "Have you guys seen my make up bag?"

***

Charlie felt very special as she sat at her dressing table. Ruby was carefully applying her make-up and Abbey was dealing with her hair. She had opted to put it into a very pretty bun, a particular style that she'd seen in a bridal magazine and she was going to wear a beautiful, silver tiara in place of a veil. Michelle was looking after Joseph, who was grizzling over so much activity going on around him.

***

Joey, Aden, David and Angelo were all dressed up, complete with Joey and Aden having flowers in their suit pockets.

"I don't think I've ever looked so smart in my whole life!" Joey commented.

"You look stunning," Aden said honestly. "Charlie's going to go insane when she sees you."

Joey beamed at him.

"The car's here!" David announced.

He was wearing a white suit with a pink shirt and there was no doubt that he was going to stand out. Joey suspected he was hoping to get Martin's attention. Checking her reflection one more time, Joey allowed her boys to take her out. They climbed into the car together and began their journey to the community centre.

***

"Okay," Charlie said, taking a deep breath. "We're all ready. Are we all ready?"

She looked around. Her two beautiful bridesmaids, in lilac dresses and clutching matching flowers, looked lovely. Michelle was dressed in red and Joseph was in a tiny tuxedo, fast asleep in his pram. The doorbell rang.

"That must be Dad," Ruby said.

Ross was joining them in the car as he prepared to give his daughter away to Joey.

"Hi," Ross and Morag said when they entered.

Ross's breath caught when he saw how beautiful his daughters and his granddaughter looked.

"You're all so beautiful," he said gently.

The doorbell rang again. Charlie looked confused.

"We have a surprise for you," Abbey revealed, answering the door.

In a suit, Watson stood at the entrance. Charlie peered out behind her and saw a limousine outside.

"What...?" she began.

"We hired you a limo!" Ruby announced. "And Watson said she'd drive!"

Watson beamed at her colleague.

"Congratulations, Charlie," she said.

"Thanks," Charlie replied.

***

Everything at the community centre was set up ready for all the guests who were already poring in. Alice, Liz and Sam piled into the second row. Martin hovered around outside talking to strangers. Xavier, Brendan, Gina, Jack and Martha arrived and filed in. Hugo and Davina had not been invited. Tony and Rachel arrived with their son, Harry and Alf, Irene, Annie and Geoff turned up soon after. Belle stood with Martin and waited for Aden and one of the brides to arrive. Roman and Leah sat with VJ in between them and Miles and Kirsty came to sit nearby. Jai sought out his friends to go and sit with them. Star also waited outside for her girlfriend in order for them to sit together. Eric and Jayne sat quietly at the back together.

***

Joey took a deep breath as the taxi holding her, Aden, David and Angelo arrived outside. She spotted the pastor through the window and was grateful that everything so far looked as if it was running like clockwork. She stepped outside the cab and was greeted by a flurry of friends. She felt nervous to be in receipt of so much attention and relied on Aden, followed by Belle, to get her to the front of the room. Aden and Belle took their places. Angelo went to sit with Jack, keeping an eye on Sam as he did so and David stopped to talk to Martin and invite him to sit together.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Joey asked Aden.

He hugged her.

"I promise you I look amazing."

"They're here," Angelo said, bounding up to Joey, who looked suddenly shy.

She fiddled with her suit jacket and studied her shoes. The pastor gave her a look of reassurance and she reminded herself to breathe. She watched Morag, Watson and Michelle (with Joseph) enter the building and find their seats.

***

Outside, Charlie took a deep breath. She hugged Ross, Ruby and Abbey and entered the foyer. Shania Twain's 'From This Moment On' began to play. Charlie's heart raced simultaneously with Joey's as she linked arms with her father and entered the room, preparing to walk down the aisle. Ruby and Abbey cheerfully trailed after her, holding their flowers and smiling at all their friends and family. Joey stood, transfixed as Charlie made her way down the aisle. Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't think she'd ever seen her look so beautiful and for a woman that she fell more deeply in love with every day, in whom she noticed more and more beauty, she thought it was quite a feat. She couldn't stop smiling as she watched her. Charlie caught sight of her and smiled back lovingly. Her heart felt like it had swelled to double its size as she came closer, unable to stop thinking about just how stunning her girlfriend truly was. They reached the front and the music finished. Ross remained by Charlie's side and Ruby and Abbey took their places in the front row.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the pastor began. "We are gathered here to celebrate the union of Charlotte Buckton and Joanne Collins, or Charlie and Joey as they prefer to be known. Please be seated."

The congregation, who had stood upon Charlie's entrance, obeyed and the pastor waited for the gentle murmur of noise to settle down. Ross also took his seat.

"And I'd like to begin by thanking you for coming here today," the Pastor said. "This is the most important day of their lives and I'm sure you will agree with me that it is an honour to be part of this celebration."

He beamed at both of them and they beamed back, holding each other's hands tightly.

"Now, I believe we have a reading to start off with," he said.

Watson stepped up a little nervously to the front, clutching a piece of paper. She cleared her throat and began.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being an ideal Grace."

She glanced at the happy couple and then at Star.

"I love thee to the level of every day's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old grief's, and with my childhood faith."

Charlie and Joey squeezed each other's hands and smiled at each other.

"I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints; I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! And if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death."

Watson finished and hurried back to her seat, unsure off having an entire room of people watching her.

"From the handful of time's I've met you, even I can see just how in love the two of you are," the Pastor said. "But let's look beyond the warmth of romance and look at the real thing. Real love is about looking after that person in your life and putting their health and happiness far above your own. It's about retaining the feeling of joy whenever you see them smile. It's about taking your love to strengthen your souls and sticking together even when times are tough. A blessing such as this is about holding each other close, proclaiming promises that will last a life time as you support each other, provide for each other and share your lives together."

He smiled again.

"I understand you've opted for the tradition of having someone give you away, Charlie."

Charlie nodded and held Joey tightly. She never wanted to let her go.

"And who is here to give Charlie away?"

Ross stepped up and announced that he was. Charlie was taken aback by just how proud he looked. The days of judgement and misgivings about her relationship were obviously a thing of the past.

"Wonderful," the Pastor said. "Now, I understand that you have both written your own vows."

Joey nodded and took a deep breath, still clinging to Charlie's hand. She had never been one for public speaking and she had rehearsed to high heaven, not wanting to read from paper. Now she was terrified of forgetting the words.

"Charlie," she said, her voice trembling a little. "I never believed in love at first sight. In fact, before I met you, I didn't believe in love at all. I was determined to continue my life as a loner. You took me by surprise but you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself in order to really comprehend that you're truly mine. And then I think that I must be the luckiest person alive. I didn't come from much. I haven't had a life with a host of happiness running through it. But I promise you that the joy you've brought to my world so far outweighs the grief that you've made everything worth it. You're my soul mate and my best friend. No matter what we've been through, I love that we have always survived it together, as a unit."

She glanced briefly at Ruby and Abbey.

"As a family," she said. "You make me complete, Charlie Buckton and I'm going to spend the rest of my life showing you that I love you with every beat of my heart."

Charlie could do nothing but gaze at her and stroke her fingers.

"I... I never thought that I'd be lucky enough to fall in love," Charlie began. "I didn't think I had the capacity and I certainly didn't think I had the strength to stand up and tell the world that I'm gay. It's been a long time coming but you gave me the courage I needed."

She swallowed and held onto Joey for dear life.

"You've given me everything I've ever needed. You loved me when I felt unloveable. You supported me when I didn't know which way to turn. And you saved my life. Literally. The only reason I'm able to stand here today is because of you both because I'm lucky enough to be loved by you and because you risked everything in order to protect me. Joey, I love you so much. You charmed me whole heartedly that first day we met and you've continued charming me ever since. You make me laugh. You make me feel safe. You've made me understand what it means to be happy. I'm overjoyed to be spending the rest of my life with you. You mean everything to me. You set me free."

In their pew, Abbey and Ruby quickly dabbed their eyes with tissues. They hadn't expected to feel so emotional. Alice and Liz weren't faring much better.

"Now comes the time for our betrothal vows," the Pastor said. "But first, is there anyone present who knows of reason why this union shouldn't be blessed by God amongst Charlie and Joey's friends and family?"

As if on cue, the doors to the community centre opened. Joey blanched and opened her mouth in horror as her father and brother stood there a little breathlessly. She glanced at Charlie and squeezed her hands far too hard.

"Joey, you're coming home with us!" her father said. "This is wrong! It's disgusting!"

"Get out!" Joey snapped at them, feeling humiliated and angry in equal measure.

"No," Brett said. "You're walking away from this farce now. Come on."

Joey looked helplessly at Angelo who sprung to his feet. Jack followed and they quickly escorted the Collins family out of the building, closing the doors behind them.

"Shall I continue?" the Pastor asked.

"Yes," Joey said quickly. "Yes."

Charlie saw the tears in her partner's eyes and reached out to brush them away.

"Sorry," Joey managed.

Charlie hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"It's okay," she said. "It's okay."

They parted and looked back at the Pastor who smiled kindly.

"Please continue," Joey said.

Angelo and Jack, having threatened to take Brett and his father to the cells for the afternoon, returned quietly and sat through the rest of the service.

"Joey, will you love Charlie with everything you are and everything you have?"

"I will," Joey said without hesitation.

"Will you stay with her and keep her through whatever trials life throws in your direction?"

"I will."

"And will you, Charlie, love Joey with everything you are and everything you have?"

"I will," Charlie replied.

"Will you stay with her and keep her through whatever trials life throws in your direction?"

"I will."

"Joey and Charlie, you have affirmed your willingness to spend your lives together. Joey, please repeat after me: I, Joanne Collins..."

"I Joanne Collins, take you, Charlotte Buckton to be my partner for the rest of my days. In the presence of God and our family and friends I promise to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and suffering, in joy as well as sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, To respect you and adore you, to support you in your every dream and goal. I promise to laugh with you and cry with you, to put your needs before my own and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

He said it in stages and Joey repeated it word for first, gazing lovingly at Charlie as she did so. Her family were long forgotten. Charlie then took her turn.

"You may now kiss," the Pastor declared.

They readily obeyed.


	114. Chapter 114

_Oh my goodness, I can't believe that this story has come to an end. It began as an experiment to see if I could write anything remotely... naughty... and then it just grew! Thank you all so much for all your faithful reading and your reviews. The reviews have been incredible and we're totalling 1057 for the last 113 chapters. I can hardly believe it! Thank you all so much and I hope the story ends as cheekily as it started all those chapters ago! Love, IJKS xxx_

***

**Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen**

The party was lively and Charlie felt positively giddy with joy. It really was the best day of her life and she was thrilled to be celebrating it with those she loved best. Gliding across the room, she wrapped Joey in a possessive but gentle embrace from behind. She snuggled into her neck and kissed her. Joey, who had been chatting with Aden and Belle, turned to give Charlie her full attention. They hugged and kissed each other tenderly and sighed in contentment.

"I uh... I have a form at home that needs to be signed," Joey said.

Charlie furrowed her brow in confusion at such a random statement.

"I want to change my name to Buckton, officially, by deed poll. Would you mind?"

Charlie beamed and kissed her passionately.

"I would love for you to take my name," she said. "It feels exactly right."

They kissed again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the DJ said. "I'd like you all to give your full attention to Charlie and Joey as they share their first dance together as wife and wife."

Charlie coloured. The announcement had taken her by surprise, but accepted when Joey led her to the dance floor. Charlie placed her hands on Joey's shoulders and Joey touched Charlie's waist. The same song they'd walked up the aisle to began to play and they held each other close, swaying gently to the music as their guests watched and smiled. Slowly, other couples formed, including David and Martin and joined them in the middle of the Surf Club. Charlie and Joey sank more intimately against each other, never wanting the moment to end.

"I love you so much, Charlie Buckton," Joey said softly.

Charlie kissed her and slowly pulled back, gazing into her eyes.

"And I love you Joey... Buckton."

They kissed again and the song continued to play.

"It's so romantic, isn't it?" Sam commented from one of the tables.

Angelo nodded and agreed beside her.

"Would you um... would you like to dance?" he asked.

She smiled.

"I'd love to," she said.

He took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Charlie and Joey saw them out of the corner of their eye.

"I really hope that isn't going to turn into a disaster," Charlie sighed.

"He slept with the strip... um... someone at the party last!" Joey told her.

Charlie raised her eyebrows.

"A stripper, hey?" she teased.

Joey blushed and kissed her.

"As long as you didn't think she was hotter than me," Charlie warned with a teasing smile.

Joey looked genuinely horrified.

"There is not one person in the world who is hotter than you," she confirmed, kissing her again.

Charlie cuddled her closer, feeling satisfied.

"I never, ever want to stop kissing you," Joey told her, capturing her lips again.

"Good job you never have to," Charlie replied.

***

An hour and a half later, everyone was settled at tables in preparation for speeches. Charlie stood and surveyed the room.

"Well, for starters, I wanted to thank you all for coming," she began. "It means a lot to share this day with you. And uh... thanks to Jack and Angelo for getting rid of the guests that showed up uninvited."

Angelo and Jack nodded acceptance.

"I'm not really one for public speaking really but I wanted to thank everyone for the love and support they've shown Joey and I. I know a few people were pretty surprised when I came out and told the truth about myself and who I loved..."

Colleen flushed pink and Roman shifted in his chair.

"But you've all been so gracious and accepting and you've all helped me to become proud of myself and my relationship and to be honest, I worried for a long time that I wouldn't be brave enough to do that. I'd also like to thank my beautiful bridesmaids, Ruby and Abbey. You've been the best wedding planners ever!"

The teenagers giggled.

"And we have a small gift for both of you..."

Irene stepped up, as requested and offered a small box each to Abbey and Ruby. She grinned and delved in while Charlie kept talking.

"And I'd also like to thank my Dad and Morag for being here today. It's no secret that it hasn't been an easy thing for Dad and Joey to get along," Charlie said. "But you made it in the end and that makes me so happy."

Irene handed them both a gift wrapped box of chocolates and a bottle of red wine.

"And of course, my most precious thanks goes to Joey."

She turned and held her partner's hands. Ruby and Abbey interrupted with squeaks over matching silver pendants. Everyone laughed, including Charlie.

"Anyway," she said to Joey. "I love you so much. I feel so lucky that you love me back! You're my dream come true and really do want to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

They received a round of applause and Joey awkwardly got to her feet.

"If Charlie's not one for public speaking then I'm even less so, so please bear with me," she said shyly. "But... yeah, I want to thank my Aden. He's been amazing to me since I first showed up here. I will never forget all the laughs we've had working behind that bar together and I hope we never stop getting up to mischief."

"Not too much!" Charlie remarked.

Joey gazed down at her lovingly and held her hand.

"Not too much," she promised.

A few people chuckled.

"Anyway, Ade, we bought you a gift too," Joey said.

Charlie handed over an envelope. He opened it up.

"Awesome!" he said loudly.

They'd bought him two tickets to see Kings of Leon the following month. He blushed quickly and thanked them.

"And um... yeah, thanks to everyone for coming today. And we hope you have a lovely time."

She glanced at David and Martin sitting together in the corner.

"And we know some of you already are!"

They blushed.

"But thank you so much for coming. And thank you, Charlie, for making me the happiest woman in the world. I cannot wait for the rest of our lives. And I'm certain that it will be just as loving, wonderful and entertaining as it has been so far."

She bent and kissed Charlie's lips before sitting down again. Ross stood up and cleared his throat.

"It's an honour to be standing up here today," he began. "It was only a few months ago that I objected to this wedding. I admit it. And I feel ashamed of it. Because really, all a father could ever want for his daughter is that she's happy. And I think it's safe to say that my Charlie is happier than I've ever seen her. And that's been true ever since she and Joey got together. Joey, you've healed so much of Charlie's hurt. You really have made her happy. And it's plain to see that she makes you happy too. I'm so glad that the two of you found each other and I wish you the best future imaginable."

They both smiled at him, holding hands.

"And your sister, your daughter and I have all been talking and... well, we've booked you both the honeymoon you deserve."

Charlie and Joey both looked and felt startled.

"You'd better get packing for two weeks in Hawaii," he said.

Joey couldn't help but laugh, remembering the conversation she and Ross had had out fishing.

"Your plane leaves tomorrow afternoon. Morag and I will be moving in so that we can take care of the girls and you've got nothing to worry about except having a good time."

"Thank you," Charlie said, feeling suddenly overwhelmed.

She glanced at her girls who were both grinning triumphantly at her.

"So, here's to Charlie and Joey," Ross said.

Everyone raised their glasses in a toast. Aden stood up, unable to keep the smirk from his face. Joey cringed before he even started.

"And now I get to do the embarrassing best man speech!" he announced. "Which is half the reason why I said yes to the job."

Joey poked her tongue out at him and leant into her partner.

"The first impression I ever had of Joey when we started working together was that she had no fear," Aden announced. "She was bold and brassy and had no problem wandering late into work because she and Charlie had got carried away with each other."

Charlie blushed pink and Ross cleared his throat with discomfort.

"And she very much enjoyed teasing me with just how much she fun she got up to behind closed doors. And quite frankly, I doubt it'll change now they're married."

Joey looked ready to kill him but the other guests found it all very amusing. She heard Ruby and Abbey whispered to each other about how much they 'went at it at home'.

"But beyond the cheek and good humour," Aden said a little more seriously. "There's a woman who just hasn't been able to help herself from the moment she clapped eyes on her soul mate. They um... 'dated' a couple of times before Joey arrived in the Bay but the moment they got together for real, they've both been different people. Charlie, if you don't mind me saying, went from a somewhat hot-headed stickler for the rules to a chilled out, content person who saw love hearts in her eyes every time she saw Joey. And Joey... well, her love for Charlie can be seen from any distance. I've never met someone so besotted, literally willing to lay her life down for her partner and determined to be the best that she can be for the woman she loves. Seriously guys, the world just wouldn't be right if you two weren't together."

He turned back to the crowd.

"To the happy couple," he said, raising his glass.

"To the happy couple," everyone chorused.

Charlie and Joey's lips found each other yet again.

***

It was nearly eleven o'clock in the evening and the whole of Summer Bay had been partying hard. Charlie and Joey had refused to stray any further apart than a few inches and if they weren't touching, they were gazing at each other. Ross was dancing with Morag, enjoying the celebration of the evening. Abbey had taken responsibility for Joseph and was dancing with him in her arms while Xavier and Ruby were dancing on the other side of the floor, holding each other close. David stepped up to the bride and bride with a grin.

"I'm going to escort Martin home," he said.

"All the way back to the city?" Charlie smirked.

"All the way back to my place!" he said, hugging them both and skipping off.

Angelo watched them leave and asked them to wait up. He and Sam then made their excuses and the foursome caught a cab home.

***

At one in the morning, the party finally ended and Charlie and Joey headed home in a taxi. Ruby had departed early in order to get Joseph to bed. He'd fallen asleep quite happily in his pram but when she tired herself, she'd decided it was kinder to take him to bed. Xavier, Abbey and Michelle had left with them and now, having said goodbye to their final guests, Charlie and Joey were relieved to be heading to bed. It had been a joyous but long day. Charlie yawned. Joey nuzzled her neck.

"You'd better not be too tired," she said, keeping her voice low.

Charlie blushed and smiled, capturing Joey's lips with her own.

"I'm definitely not too tired," she confirmed.

They paid quickly and jumped out of the cab and hurried indoors, unable to keep their hands off each other. Locking up, they threaded their way through the dark living room and up to their bedroom. Flicking on the light, they were pleasantly surprised to find that there was a bottle of champagne and two glasses on the bedside table and the bed was covered in rose petals.

"Aw, they're so cute," Joey said, thinking of Abbey and Ruby.

"Very," Charlie said.

Joey turned around in her arms and kissed her. Charlie felt every fibre of her being become excited at the contact in the privacy of their home. She kissed her back, nudging her mouth open and letting her tongue taste her. She breathed in deeply and gently pushed back to the bed. Joey fell upon the petals as soon as her feet hit the base, and pulled Charlie with her. Their bodies pressed together and they wrapped their arms tightly around each other. Joey wriggled free and flipped Charlie onto her back. She moved to straddle her lap and reached her hands behind her and unzipped the wedding gown.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look in this?" Joey asked.

Charlie laughed. Joey had barely stopped telling her all day.

"And have I mentioned how beautiful you'll look out of it?"

They grinned each other and kissed ever more passionately. Joey stood and pulled Charlie to her feet, shrugging her out of her dress and taking the time to delicately hang it up on the wardrobe door. She turned back, admiring Charlie's body, clad only in underwear and a garter. Shrugging her suit jacket off, she moved closer and reined kisses all over Charlie's body. She allowed her to undo her shirt and trousers and soon she was also only wearing underwear. Joey guided Charlie further onto the bed, straddling her hips and stroking her skin. She cupped her breasts, teasing them through the fabric of her bra and then lifted her slightly so that she could reach round and free them. Letting her mouth descend immediately, their bodies writhed together, seeking each other out and bringing ever increasing pleasure. Joey kissed her way down Charlie's body until she reached the top of her thong. She pulled it down without grace and tossed it on the floor, overjoyed to have Charlie naked before her. She moved her head down, kissing her between her legs, introducing her tongue and smiling as Charlie's thighs parted even further to give her as much access as she wanted. Charlie gasped beneath her and Joey offered every pleasure she could think of. She cried out as she reached orgasm and pulled Joey swiftly into her arms. Without taking any time to recover, she eased Joey back against the pillows and set to work on making her reach her own climax as they celebrated the first night of their marriage.

***

The following morning, Charlie and Joey were sleepy but cheerful. They sat down to breakfast with their family and then hurried to pack their things. Both were excited about their honeymoon and it made it more special that it was a surprise from those who loved them instead of something they'd booked themselves.

"Why did they choose Hawaii?" Charlie asked curiously.

"That's where I was meant to be going on holiday when I was a kid," Joey explained. "When they abandoned me and left me behind."

Charlie moved forward and hugged her. They kissed for the thousandth time that day.

"I'm going to go and pack bathroom stuff," she said. "Are you alright to finish in here?"

"You bet," Joey said.

***

"Your carriage awaits," Watson said.

Similar to yesterday, she had been roped into driving the happy couple to the airport. Star had also come for the ride and the foursome were looking forward to chatting on the way there. Watson and Star picked up their bags to put them in the car while Charlie and Joey said their goodbyes.

"Be good, okay?" Joey said to Ruby. "You know what happened when we went away before..."

Ruby poked her tongue out and then hugged her.

"We'll be good," she promised.

Charlie hugged Abbey tightly and kissed the top of her head, feeling strangely sad to be leaving her.

"Mum, you're only going to be gone for a couple of weeks!" the teenager said.

"I know, I know, but..."

Abbey hugged her again and promised not to burn the house down.

"I can't speak for Rubes but Bump and I are going to be as good as gold," Abbey said.

Charlie bent and kissed her nephew goodbye. He pulled her nose, making her laugh. Then she hugged his mother. Joey kissed her namesake goodbye, followed by Abbey and then the couple finally made their way to the door. Abbey, Ruby and Joseph waved until the car was out of sight.

***

Charlie and Joey were relieved when they finally reached the front desk to put their bags through. The journey to the airport had been amusing and Watson and Star had reliably informed Charlie and Joey that their cousin hadn't arrived home by lunch time when they left to pick them up.

"Excuse me, ladies," said a man behind them.

They turned in surprise.

"We're doing random security checks for luggage. Could you please step aside?"

"But we just queued for ages!" Joey pouted.

The man and his obviously lesbian colleague smiled and promised they'd go right to the front of the queue. Joey continued to pout but she and Charlie followed them. They set their bags down on the floor and began to open them. Joey suddenly cringed and gripped Charlie's hand a little tighter.

"What?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"Um..."

The female security guard's voice caught as she attempted to stifle a laugh. Charlie peered into the bag that Joey had packed and immediately turned pink. On top of all their clothes were a heap of sex toys. Joey bit her lip and Charlie squeaked, looking helplessly at her wife. The security guard looked up at them, clearly amused.

"We're on our honeymoon," Joey explained.

The woman chuckled and zipped the bag back up. They finished inspecting the rest of their stuff and then put them back at the front of the queue again.

"I can't believe you packed those!" Charlie hissed when they had finally put their bags through and were left solely with hand luggage.

Joey just giggled.

"Seriously!" Charlie said, utterly exasperated.

"It's not like I put it in these!" she said, gesturing to the bags they were taking on the plane. "Which reminds me."

"What?" Charlie said a little worriedly.

"We are totally joining the mile high club!"

Charlie stared open-mouthed. Joey rewarded her with a kiss. They wrapped their arms around each other.

"You know it's stuff like this that makes you love me so much," Joey told her confidently.

Charlie stroked her hair, gazing at her with genuine affection.

"It's one of the many things that my life with you completely perfect," she said.

They kissed again, oblivious to the world around them, even forgetting for a moment that they had a plane to catch. Nothing else mattered in the world other than that they were in love.

THE END


End file.
